Beer Selection (Restaurant)
2. Moerlein Lager House 3. Flipdaddy’s Burgers & Beers
Day Spa
2. Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa 3. Tanya’s Image & Wellness Salon
Best Municipal Efforts to Save the Planet
The City of Cincinnati’s move toward renewable energy is an encouraging, ongoing effort to do our part in avoiding a grim environmental future. The city has achieved an 18.4 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since it started measuring those emissions in 2006, and also recently built one of the country’s first net-zero energy use…
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Central)
2. Collective Espresso (Northside) 3. Sidewinder Coffee
Skin Care Service
2. Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa 3. Tanya’s Image & Wellness Salon
Best Political Drama, National Division
Where to start with the amazing dysfunction at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? (We’re talkin ’bout Trump here, people). There was his messy move just weeks into his presidency to limit travel from countries that are majority Muslim, a hastily drafted executive order that federal courts quickly slapped down. Then there were the staff squabbles and change-ups…
Best No-Nonsense Negroni
The negroni is a classic Italian aperitif — a before-dinner drink made of gin, red vermouth and Campari, garnished with an orange peel. It has a wonderful bitter bite, paired with citrus aromatics to stimulate the appetite and a comforting weight provided by the Campari and semi-sweet fortified wine. It’s a splash of hot Mediterranean…
Giftshop
2. Cincinnati Art Museum 3. Elm & Iron
Best Lingerie That’s Both Classy and Sexy
Knickers of Hyde Park is a haven for lingerie lovers. Since 1999, the boutique has made it its mission to make women feel confident and beautiful. Some selections are more sensual and simple, others more risqué and XXX sexy — be it a cute bralette, some “afterdark” props, classy af robes or bra-sized swimwear (a…
Best All-Seeing Retrospective of an Artist
Prominent in so many of Michael Scheurer’s works, eyes seemed to follow visitors all around Signature Scheurer, the Weston Art Gallery’s nearly 50-year retrospective of his drawings, paintings, paper collages and multimedia assemblages. The largely self-taught (and, unfortunately, still largely unknown) Cincinnati artist and antiques dealer has long seen possibilities others miss as he acquires…
Charity Festival/Event
2. Cincy Beerfest 3. Bockfest
Bar/Club (Northern Kentucky)
2. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant 3. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
TV Anchor
2. Sheree Paolello (WLWT) 3. Kathrine Nero (WCPO)
Best Coney-Meets-3-Way Meal
The first splattering of Cincinnati chili can be traced back to two brothers: Tom and John Kiradjieff, immigrants from Argos, Orestiko, a town in the now-Northwestern region of Macedonia-Greece. One brother immigrated to Cincinnati and then brought the other over in 1921. A year later, they served the first bowl of Cincinnati chili as Empress…
Best Contemporary Art Clowns
This past summer, the Contemporary Arts Center caught the zeitgeist with its presentation of Ugo Rondinone’s let’s start this day again exhibit, in which life-size clown sculptures posed within a gallery to emphasize their introspection and melancholy. In a world that seems increasingly divided between scary clowns and jovial ones, Rondinone provided a third choice: silently…
Best Adult Alternative to Chuck E. Cheese
The animatronic band is certainly rad, but there’s something about Chuck E. Cheese’s appeal that fails to hold up once you’ve made it to adulthood. While the trip may keep your kids occupied, it’s not as fun for adults to sit surrounded by the wafting smell of sub-standard pizza, screeching toddlers and loud arcade games…
Best Candle-Making Classes
Manitou Candle Co. crafts small-batch and hand-poured candles made from soy wax with packaging that’s classic yet distinctly modern. Scents are broad and ever-changing, whether you want hints of lemon cedarwood musk, lavender or a floral scent, they strive to help you find what makes you feel at home and at rest. Grab a friend…
Best Holiday-Themed Pop Up Bars
The holidays are typically the most festive time of year, and no one understands that more than The Video Archive/Overlook Lodge owners Gorilla Cinema. Their mission is all about bringing pop culture to life, whether it’s opening Quentin Tarantino-themed bar/video store The Video Archive or having The Shining scare people at Overlook Lodge. During the six-week long…
Best Place to Go on a Grocery Shopping Date Because, Hey, Food is Good
Clifton Market, a full-service co-op grocer, is a quick stroll across the street from The Esquire movie theater, making it an ideal date location — after catching a flick, check out the just-as-hip-as-Trader-Joe’s local market. Stock up on freshly baked bread, grab a bottle from their large selection of wine, impress your date with your…
Best Photographic Tribute to a Lost Neighborhood
Kenyon-Barr was a densely urban section of the West End where thousands of buildings were demolished in the late 1950s for “urban renewal” and the creation of I-75. But before that happened, the city took 2,800 photos documenting what would be gone — often with an employee standing in front holding a sign while curious…
Plumbing Company
2. Apollo Home 3. Jolly Plumbing
Best Peacekeeping Force
Though each stood barely two inches tall, thousands of little green Army men kept visitors in line during Badge of Honor, an exhibit at Kennedy Heights Arts Center. As he arranged the plastic figures in tidy formations on the floors and shelves of the center, local artist Francis Hollenkamp used the power of scale to…
Best Trump Impression from a Statewide Candidate
We’ve got a tie in this category. Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel could make a great case for winning this award, what with his weird, Trump-esque Twitter presence during his now-scuttled Senate campaign. Who can forget this classic: “Proud to be leading movement in OH to STOP sanctuary cities,” Mandel tweeted last February. “Liberal journalists opposing…
Chinese
2. P.F. Chang’s 3. Oriental Wok
Best Reinterpretation of the Phrase ‘Car Wash’
Wave Pool celebrated summer in a big way with its annual fundraiser and block party. The theme? Car Wash. Guests were invited to come to Car Wash: Wave Pool Pool Party and Car Bed Show in their swimsuits to view an interactive art show, organized by locally based conceptual and tongue-in-cheek fashion brand Working Girls…
Rooftop Bar
2. 21c Cocktail Terrace 3. Top of the Park at The Phelps
Best Strip Mall Thai
There’s a battle waging on the West Side between fans of Thai Taste and fans of Lin’s Pad Thai. While the atmosphere may be slightly lacking at both, the authenticity is not. Thai Taste offers traditional recipes with a family-run vibe. Yes, they do cater to a wide audience: there are some Amer-Asian options like…
Art Gallery
2. Art Academy of Cincinnati 3. Contemporary Arts Center
Plastic Surgery
2. The Plastic Surgery Group 3. Cincinnati Institute of Plastic Surgery
Paint Store
2. Home Depot 3. Lowe’s
Radio Show
2. Scott Sloan (WLW) 3. Cincinnati Edition (WVXU)
Running/Biking Event
2. Cyclones Frozen 5K/10K 3. Queen Bee Half Marathon
Best Recovery from a Bad Hair Day
Artists routinely let their hair down — metaphorically, anyway — but the Danish String Quartet’s concert appearance in October gave a new, specific meaning to the term. Midway through the concert opener, Bartok’s Quartet No. 1, violist Asbjørn Nørgaard’s face suddenly disappeared behind a curtain of dark blond hair. Clearly unfazed, Nørgaard kept up with…
Credit Union
2. General Electric Credit Union 3. Cinfed Credit Union
CD/Record Store (Non-Chain)
2. Everybody’s Records 3. Plaid Room Records
Cupcakes
2. Gigi’s Cupcakes 3. The BonBonerie
Best Local Music to Rekindle Your Goth Phase
Coupling New Order’s chugging New Wave instrumentation with The Cure’s baroque melodrama, Cincinnati’s Skeleton Hands tinge their songcraft with bruise-colored flush. The duo’s latest effort, Wake, dropped 10 days ahead of Halloween, the perfect time to wallow in repurposed Reagan-era angst while taking a neighborhood stroll, and admiring your neighbors’ ghastly holiday decor. Hop onto Skeleton Hands’ Bandcamp…
Best Beer Made with Real Fruit
Breweries love to make fruit beers. However, not all of them use real fruit — a lot of them are just fruit flavored — and there’s a gulf of difference between artificial flavoring and the real thing. Urban Artifact’s Midwest Fruit Tart series is brewed using only real fruit, like blackberries, key limes and peaches.…
Best City Council Campaign
Every Cincinnati City Council election cycle brings out some interesting efforts to win voters’ attention and hopefully their checkmarks at the ballot. But Tamaya Dennard’s campaign — in which she held kickball games, wine and postcard-writing nights and spoke to residents of Cincinnati neighborhoods at events staged on their neighbors’ porches — was especially unique…
Outdoor/Patio Dining
2. Eli’s BBQ 3. Cabana on the River
Best Hip Hostess Gift Destination
Over-the-Rhine boutique MiCA 12/v has been holding down the city’s hippest corner at 12th and Vine streets since before it was cool. Mike and Carolyn Deininger first started selling as MiCA in a small space in O’Bryonville in 2003 before presciently moving into their current location in OTR in 2007. The indie boutique and art…
Team (Amateur/Semi-Pro)
2. Florence Freedom 3. Cincinnati Steam
Best Place for a Fun First Date
Finding the right place for a solid first date is tricky. Screaming over the music and chatter at a bar isn’t really conducive to getting to know a new person. A fancy restaurant can be too stuffy and sets the expectations kind of high from the get-go. Enter The Rook. Nestled into a cozy storefront…
Best Fringe Cincy Team to Watch in 2018
First rolled out in 2006, the Cincinnati Rollergirls are the Queen City’s first all-female, amateur, flat-track roller derby team, and for those interested in trading in their mainstream fandom for something more unique, these girls have you covered. All members of the team — including the coaches, referees and skaters -— are volunteers, and the…
Best Place to Get Your Nerd On
If you’re like us, there’s nothing quite as intoxicating as the smell of old books — especially when those books are about our favorite city in the world. Downtown’s five-floor Ohio Book Store is a great place to peruse old city planning documents or publications about Cincinnati’s original streetcars. While its selection of historic local…
Best Jazz Club Legacy Continued
Pianist Ed Moss is a Cincinnati Jazz legend for his musical achievements, but he was also beloved for his low-key venue, Schwartz’s Point, which was written about as one of the area’s “Best Kept Secrets” so often, it wasn’t really a secret anymore, particularly among the city’s Jazz players. When Moss passed away in 2016,…
Goetta
2. Eckerlin Meats 3. Avril-Bleh & Sons
Best Artful Cookware Shop
Brad and Karen Hughes opened their Artichoke storefront down the street from Findlay Market in order to offer marketgoers a convenient destination to purchase cookware. From basics and classics to unique and colorful pieces, a stroll through the shop feels as special as a stop at Paris’ E.Dehillerin (except Artichoke is infinitely more organized). With a…
Best Recording Studio Reborn
Brian Olive has built up a reputation for being an ace musician, performer and songwriter with his projects over the years, ranging from his time in The Greenhornes and Soledad Brothers to his solo recordings and bands to his Grammy-winning work with Dr. John. He also is a go-to recording specialist for many, particularly in…
Restaurant to Take Visitors
2. Incline Public House 3. Skyline Chili
Best Political Drama, State Division
We’re not even past the primaries yet and already Ohio’s gubernatorial race has gotten bizarre. A Democratic candidate, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O’Neill, made a Facebook post bragging about how many women he’s slept with as a way to rebut the #MeToo movement. A campaign volunteer for Republican candidate Jim Renacci jumped onto…
Beer Selection (Bottles & Cans)
2. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade/ The Comet (TIE) 3. Higher Gravity
Cyclone (Current)
2. Dominic Zombo 3. Arvin Atwal
Regional Arts Theater
2. Actors Theatre of Louisville (Louisville, Ky.) 3. Pioneer Playhouse (Danville, Ky.)
Wedding Cakes
2. A Spoon Fulla Sugar 3. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
Overall Pizza (Chain)
2. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria 3. Goodfellas
Hair Salon
2. Salon Lofts 3. Tanya’s Image & Wellness Salon
LGBTQ+ Bar
2. Crazy Fox Saloon 3. Rosie’s Tavern
Antique Store
2. Wooden Nickel Antiques 3. Florence Antique Mall
Best Lobster Rolls, Duh
At Court Street Lobster Bar, there is nary a bright-red shell in sight. Instead, there are several ways to enjoy tender, buttery lobster meat — in a creamy bisque or as an ingredient in poutine; as part of the decadent lobster mac and cheese; or in one of two styles of lobster rolls. The prices…
Best High School ‘SportsCenter’ Impersonators
High school sports coverage is a vital component of local network news during the football and basketball season, and the various local channels’ unwavering commitment to that coverage suggests it’s a big enough ratings-grabber as fans tune in to see how their alma mater or kids’ school or “that high school up the street” fared.…
Raw Bar
2. The Anchor-OTR 3. Kaze
Best Reason to Fly Out of Lunken Airport
Lunken Airport is a pretty cool place. The private/corporate/charter aviation hub is housed in a historic Art Deco building and has its own restaurant, the Sky Galley, where patrons can grab a burger and a beer while watching planes take off and land. It’s also where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis for…
Best Social Sippery
Aster happened by mistake. When the owners of Sleepy Bee Café were renovating their new restaurant space on Fourth Street downtown, they discovered something unexpected — a third floor with expansive ceilings and beautiful wooden beams. After uncovering this special space, the team decided to turn it into a social sippery, a casual cocktail space…
Best Drink and Dessert in One
In a city where brewing beer is an integral part of our history, it should be no surprise that craft breweries are popping up in every single neighborhood, which means some smaller endeavors can get overshadowed by the bigger cats in town. From their taproom/brewery along Eastern Avenue in Columbia Tusculum, which frequently hosts food…
Best Time Mitch Said No
The 2016 USL Goalkeeper of the Year Mitch Hildebrandt lived up to the high praise in FC Cincinnati’s win over the Chicago Fire in the Round of 16 of the 2017 U.S. Open Cup this past season, keeping the Fire off the scoreboard through 120 minutes and making three key saves in the team’s 3-1…
Sushi
2. Ichiban 3. Kaze 4. Green Papaya 5. Fusian 6. E+O Kitchen 7. Mr. Sushi 8. Ando Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar 9. Wabi Sabi 10. Wild Ginger
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (East Side)
2. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria 3. A Tavola (Maderia)
Best Trippy “Alice in Wonderland” Moment
Five giant inflatable white rabbits, one over 23 feet tall, invaded the grounds of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park for about a week in a magical installation called Intrude. Nighttime was the right time to see them, as they glowed against the dark sky like creatures from another world. Artist Amanda Parer created the soft sculptures…
Best Unexpected Ice Cream Flavors
Cincinnati has an almost gratuitous amount of gourmet ice cream and gelato options in which to indulge: Graeter’s, Aglamesis Bros., Dojo Gelato, Madisono’s. But one of them really takes the cake (or the cream): Hello Honey. This downtown gem scoops from-scratch sweets made by husband-and-wife team Nitima and Brian Nicely. Not only is the small-batch…
No-Frills Watering Hole
2. Blind Lemon 3. The Comet
Best Boozy Flashback to the ’90s
The ’90s are back in a very big way: From mom jeans and chokers to Roseanne and the Spice Girls, all of our favorite pre-millennium trends are rearing their ugly heads once again. And when it comes to adult beverages, it doesn’t get any more ’90s than Zima. The colorless malt beverage — or “clear beer”…
Bar/Club (Downtown/OTR)
2. MOTR Pub 3. Queen City Exchange
Best Streetwear Store
Corporate’s OTR location stocks tasteful streetwear, specializing in pastel-toned shoes and a range of fits that bridge skate fashion with Hip Hop. Liven up your own visual palette just in time for spring with Golf La Fleur x Converse collabs, Saucony sneakers and the store’s in-house creations like their pink and maroon “Go-Corporate” T-shirts. Brave…
Tennis Court
2. Camargo Racquet Club 3. Blue Ash Tennis Courts
Florist
2. Kroger 3. Oberer’s Flowers
Best Eat-In Creamy Whip
Most creamy whips conjure up summertime scenes of sweaty little leaguers and families standing in a patient line, waiting to be called to the window to place their order. Not so at the Mt. Washington Creamy Whip. Through it’s only been in the soft-serve business for 11 years, the creamy whip has served as a…
Best Office Chair Oasis
Over the past 70 years, Algin Office has transitioned from a typewriter, gun and resale shop to a seven-floor warehouse that sells used office and residential furniture. The street-level first floor has a display of new and contemporary desks and seating for sale, but if you dare to explore the upper floors, that’s when things…
Shoe Store
2. Bob Roncker’s Running Spot 3. Nordstrom
Best Small-Batch Bourbon
In early November, Northside Distilling Co. released a limited 500-bottle run of its debut white label bourbon whiskey. Already well known for its award-winning corn-based vodka, this first batch of bourbon was aged for about two years in the company’s Northside rickhouse (a 100-year-old former horse barn) in small, charred-oak barrels to produce a faster…
Northern Kentucky Neighborhood
2. Newport 3. Bellevue
Best Pint-Sized Pie Party
It’s a fact backed by years of scientific research: Miniature food is irresistibly adorable. And so are the sweets at Teeny Pies. The moniker for this pastry haven is taken from owner Teeny Morris, who traversed the U.S. to learn about female-owned bakeries (she even wrote a book about it: Teeny’s Tour of Pies) and…
Building
2. Union Terminal 3. Carew Tower
New Restaurant (Since March 2017)
2. Court Street Lobster Bar 3. Camporosso 4. Sartre OTR 5. Kitchen 1883 6. Dope! Noodle and Dumpling Shop 7. Sweets & Meats BBQ 8. Buddha Barn Thai 9. CWC the Restaurant /Harvest Pizzeria (TIE) 10. Casa Figueroa
Best Place for Felines and Fraps
This year marks the 20th anniversary for a niche industry to delight the cat person and coffee snob in all of us: the cat café. It all started in Taipei, Taiwan at the Cat Flower Garden, where the concept of snuggling kitties while sipping on a cappuccino first came to fruition. Fortunately for the die-hard…
Neighborhood Bakery (Central)
2. Graeter’s 3. North College Hill Bakery
Drive-Thru Market
2. Big Daddy’s 3. City Beverage of Hyde Park
Best Old Skool Kick-Backs for ’90s Kids
Revel in nostalgia that you may or may not have experienced at RAD OTR, a vintage shop that — as the word “rad” suggests — specializes in items from the 1970s to the 1990s, with a focus on street style, fluorescents and anything the characters in Space Jam might have worn. Grab an ironic windbreaker…
Menu (Most Innovative)
2. Tom+Chee 3. Sotto
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Downtown/OTR)
2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill 3. Nation Kitchen & Bar
Vegetarian/Vegan Selection
2. Green Dog Café 3. Loving Hut
Cajun/Soul Food
2. Allyn’s Café 3. J. Gumbo’s
View From Your Table
2. Primavista 3. Moerlein Lager House
Best Historic Preservation Without a Paintbrush
Sometimes what you don’t paint is as important as what you do. As they designed the poignant “Faces of Homelessness” mural last summer on Vine Street, artists ICY + SOT and ArtWorks apprentices left uncovered a ghost sign for Barr’s Loans pawn shop. These faded advertisements have been disappearing across the country because of redevelopment,…
Auto Dealer (Used Vehicles)
2. CarMax 3. Jeff Wyler Honda
Magazine/Newspaper Selection
2. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County 3. Barnes & Noble
Overall Local Athlete
2. A.J. Green 3. Andy Dalton
Suburban Neighborhood
2. Mariemont 3. Blue Ash
Waterfront Dining
2. Moerlein Lager House 3. Cabana on the River
Best Maximum Meat Sweats
Do you like your dinner with a side of competition? Want to test the limit of your beef consumption? Bard’s Burgers’ Bardzilla Challenge is back and bigger than ever. When Bard’s Burgers reopened after a two-year closure in October 2015, owner Jordan Stephenson resurrected the previous iteration’s Bardzilla, but with a twist: Instead of 10…
Green/Sustainable Goods Store
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. Clifton Natural Foods
Carpet Store
2. Lowe’s 3. JP Flooring Systems
Best Excuse to Buy Glow Sticks
Yes, the BLINK festival itself was great, but the parade that kicked off the four-day light-show celebration was truly something to behold. Streets overflowed with spectators from all over the city and beyond who came to watch more than 2,000 participants fully embrace their weird and get legit lit on a Thursday night in Over-the-Rhine.…
Best Moving Mural
ArtWorks’ mural “Swing Around Rosie” is a hypercolor tribute to the iconic singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, who — dressed in her black scalloped sweetheart gown and white gloves from White Christmas (designed by the legendary costumer Edith Head) — rests mid-croon on a background of multicolored chevron. During BLINK, Clooney got an animated makeover…
Neighborhood Restaurant (East Side)
2. Arthur’s / Zip’s Café (TIE) 3. Silver Spring House
Best Place to Eat Noodles and Fried Rice while ’90s Hip Hop Blares
In October — and in an act of restaurant musical chairs — Dope! Noodle and Dumpling Shop opened in the old Lalo spot, which replaced Asian-fusion restaurant Huit (both eateries are from the same owners). Like its blood relatives, Dope! serves ramen bowls, dumplings and lighter fare like green papaya salad. The big difference is…
Eyewear Store
2. Wing Eyecare 3. Eyemart Express
Neighborhood Restaurant (Central)
2. Camp Washington Chili 3. Hang Over Easy
Best Place to Buy the Odd and the Curious
Local design/lifestyle store and studio HighStreet set up shop at the intersection of Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton and Mount Auburn in 2006. In the past 10-plus years, the design hub has doubled in size, incorporating a furniture store and studio for commercial and residential design projects. While the shop boasts an impressive selection of eclectic interiors, hard-to-find…
Electronics Store
2. Micro Center 3. Apple Store
Best Place to Search for Your Sneaker Holy Grail
Cincinnati is blessed with multiple great places to get new kicks — downtown’s Unheardof and Hyde Park/Over-the-Rhine’s Corporate come to mind. But if you’re looking for those rarest of the rare Yeezys and couldn’t jump in line at 6 a.m. at the shop in Chicago where they were released, The Cure in Walnut Hills is…
Neighborhood Restaurant (Downtown/OTR)
2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill 3. The Eagle
Overall Bar/Club
2. Queen City Exchange 3. Arnold’s Bar and Grill 4. Queen City Radio 5. Below Zero 6. Japp’s Since 1879 7. MOTR Pub 8. Northside Yacht Club 9. Sundry and Vice 10. Longfellow
Best (Mostly) Guilt-Free Pizza
Pizza, in all its cheesy, carby goodness, is pretty much always a guilty pleasure. And the pies at Harvest Pizzeria are super binge-worthy. Their pizzas have a magically crunchy-yet-chewy and light-but-substantial crust with gourmet toppings like fennel sausage, almond pesto and vegan chorizo; the menu is rounded out by yummy small plates, salads and burgers…
Men’s Clothing Store
2. Homage 3. Black Owned
Bar/Club (East Side)
2. Overlook Lodge 3. Dutch’s
Best Book for Bookers
Tamia Stinson knows the image-making community — photographers, stylists, creative directors, makeup artists, fashion designers, models and more. She also knows the advertising agencies, branding companies and design firms that hire them. These two sides of the creativity equation can’t always find each other and, as a result, local talent frequently travels to get top…
Martini
2. Japp’s Since 1879 3. Bonefish Grill
Musketeer (Current)
2. Trevon Bluiett 3. J.P. Macura
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Northern Kentucky)
2. Bard’s Burgers & Chili 3. Barleycorn’s
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (West Side)
2. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria 3. Trotta’s Pizza & Drive Thru
Acupuncture Practice
2. Alliance Integrative Medicine 3. Carole Paine
Bar/Club for Live Music (Local Bands)
2. Bogart’s 3. Southgate House Revival
Best Friend to the Fashion Community
Sew Valley is a new enterprise created by two local entrepreneurs: Rosie Kovacs, co-founder of Brush Factory furniture and homegoods boutique, and Shailah Maynard, owner/designer of Working Girls Co. clothing and accessories brand. As professionals with experience in the fashion industry, they saw a gap in the local production scene and decided to fill it…
Best Artisan S’mores Spot
Meggie Kraus doesn’t like marshmallows. This isn’t too strange, until you consider the fact that she is the owner and proprietor of a gourmet marshmallow business and newly opened s’mores bar, Quaintrelle Confections. Kraus makes all her own marshmallows in house — she says her perfectionism keeps her from letting anyone else take the reins.…
Hot Dog/Sausage
2. Queen City Sausage 3. Eli’s BBQ
Best Porch Refresh
The porch at Washington Park has always been a pretty cool place to hang out — anywhere with outdoor seating and a full bar is good in our book. But when Southwest Airlines took over and rebranded the space as the Southwest Porch at Washington Park last year, this almost 3,000-square-foot porch got a real…
Troublemaker
2. Bill Cunningham 3. Adam “Pacman” Jones
French Fries
2. Penn Station 3. Senate
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Northern Kentucky)
2. Braxton Brewing Company 3. Reality Tuesday Café
Best Mindful Donuts
Just because they’re gluten-free, dairy-free and grain-free doesn’t mean these healthy delicacies are flavor free. Charnee’s Mindful Donuts utilizes what they call “baking therapy” to make their donuts as full of nourishment as possible. Year-round, they offer eclectic flavors like super matcha, chocolate beet, orange tumeric and samoa cookie — available in full-size or mini.…
Moving Company
2. All My Sons Moving & Storage 3. D & R Movers
Wine Bar
2. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 3. Revel OTR Urban Winery
Yoga Studio
2. Body Alive 3. Cincinnati Yoga School
Best Block for Music Makers
The resurgence and mainstream popularity of vinyl records has led to an influx of independent record stores in Cincinnati, including MetaModern Music, one of the latest additions to the city’s growing vinyl scene. It offers new and used records from all genres and for all levels of collectors, plus bootleg cassettes, slip mats, T-shirts, incense…
Best Excuse to Dance with a Pineapple
What is it about drinks in pineapples that make people want to dance? Here’s a hint: it’s the rum. In the case of Tiki Night at Japp’s, music could also have something to do with it as well, as the event draws loyal patrons monthly with its deft mix of ’80s New Wave/Punk Rock and…
Scenic Overlook
2. Devou Park 3. Ault Park 4. Mount Echo Park 5. Smale Riverfront Park 6. Bellevue Park 7. Alms Park 8. Shawnee Lookout 9. Mount Storm Park 10. Fairview Park
Regional Museum
2. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 3. Dayton Art Institute (Dayton, Ohio)
Coach/Manager Pro/College
2. Mick Cronin (University of Cincinnati Basketball) 3. Alan Koch (FC Cincinnati)
Food Truck
2. C’est Cheese 3. Hungry Bros.
Best World’s Only Cardboard Boat Museum
Cardboard and water are not the most perfect pair. Their union tends to end up creating a soggy, pulpy brownish mess. But the Cardboard Boat Museum in New Richmond, Ohio flies in the face of that logic. The city is home to the International Cardboard Boat Regatta and the 26th annual competition takes place in…
Pet Boarding/Daycare
2. PetSuites 3. Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa
Best Place for a Latte and a Haircut
Ferrari Barber & Coffee Co. is an homage to the shop Tony and Austin Ferrari’s grandfather and great uncle ran for decades. At this combination old-school barbershop/Italian espresso bar, barber Aaron Mucha runs the chair, Austin and his mom Theresa man the espresso machine and Sinatra is on the iTunes. Time seems to slow down…
Fresh Seafood Store
2. Keegan’s Seafood 3. Luken’s Poultry, Fish & Seafood
Best Reason to Fly Out of CVG
Cincinnati’s airport doesn’t always offer the least expensive flights, prompting some locals to drive as far as Columbus or Louisville to save some dough. But the airport’s low-cost carriers like Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and now Southwest have been driving down the average prices at CVG. And soon, if you want to get to Reykjavik…
Women’s Clothing Store
2. The Pink Box 3. Kismet
Cheese Shop
2. The Rhined 3. Murray’s Cheese
Chef (with Restaurant Affiliation)
2. Danny Combs (Sotto) 3. Jose Salazar (Salazar, Mita’s)
Piercing Studio
2. Skincraft Piercing & Tattoo 3. Cincinnati Tattoo & Piercing
Best New Option for Groceries in Over-the-Rhine
Findlay Market’s Fresh Table owners and chefs Meredith Trombly and Louis Snowden want you to cook your own food, too. And you can get the ingredients at their new Epicurean Mercantile Company, which is located just across from the Findlay Market streetcar stop on Race Street. Trombly and Snowden pondered the venture for years, and…
Movie Theater
2. Cinemark Oakley Station 3. AMC Newport on the Levee
Brunch
2. Sleepy Bee Café 3. Taste of Belgium 4. Grand Finale 5. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar 6. Greyhound Tavern 7. Orchids at Palm Court 8. Hang Over Easy 9. Keystone Bar & Grill 10. Nation Kitchen & Bar
Macaron
2. The BonBonerie 3. Taste of Belgium
Bookstore (Non-Chain)
2. Ohio Book Store 3. The Booksellers on Fountain Square
Best Place to Buy a Planter
Located in a converted gas station, Fern offers minimal, modern and nature-inspired items. Find a carefully curated selection of unique hand-thrown pottery, apothecary items, P.F. Candle Co. goodies, artsy plant publications and more, along with a curated assortment of beautiful, thriving plants — including shop-made kokedamas (Japanese-style moss balls), air plants and the hippest plant…
College-Crowd Bar
2. Uncle Woody’s Pub 3. Murphy’s Pub
Best Literary-Minded Migration
Longtime children’s bookstore Blue Manatee made the move from its flagship Oakley location, where it’s been since 1989, to a more streamlined space down the street, taking with it its famous wall of artwork and autographs from visiting authors and illustrators. The new, intimate space promises “a truly unique, magical space for children and their…
Best Bread-Themed Instagram
As if blessing your timeline with aesthetically pleasing photos of fresh bread wasn’t enough to warrant a follow, Allez Bakery’s Instagram account (@allezbakery) is peppered with well-chosen emojis, poetic odes to meatballs, half-baked wordplay and topical Muppet Show screencaps. Frequent scrollers might even catch the occasional outtake bake, posted under the #ShowUsYourFuckedLoaves hashtag. Allez’s feed…
Builder
2. Fischer Homes 3. Zicka Homes
Bar/Club (West Side)
2. Knotty Pine Rock Club & Tiki Bar 3. The Crow’s Nest
Best Bowl Taking the Stress Out of Ordering
When native Cincinnatian Tali Ovadia opened a food cart in Portland, Ore. 15 years ago, she had a novel idea: streamline the menu and serve a single dish. Her titular Whole Bowl is brown rice, beans, black olives, Tillamook cheddar, avocado slices, salsa, sour cream and a lemon-garlic sauce. It’s simple, wholesome, delicious and comes…
Restaurant to Take the Kids
2. Dewey’s Pizza 3. Skyline Chili
Neighborhood Restaurant (West Side)
2. Price Hill Chili 3. Primavista
Conservative
2. Bill Cunningham 3. Rob Portman
Mall/Shopping Center
2. Liberty Center 3. Rookwood Commons/Pavilion
Journalist
2. Paul Daugherty (The Cincinnati Enquirer) 3. Tana Weingartner (WVXU)
Best Reds Off-Field Personality
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton, highly regarded for his strong defense and blazing speed, often won over the crowd not only for his highlight-level play but also his fun-loving, cheery presence in the dugout and clubhouse. Drawing in the limelight for his laconic voice and emphatic on-base celebrations, Hamilton often kept energy high through adverse…
Catering Service
2. Vonderhaar’s Catering 3. Funky’s Catering
Public Artwork
2. BLINK 3. Roebling Murals
Best Place to Score a Great Vegetarian (or Vegan) Meal
Yes, eating vegetarian has gotten a lot easier in Cincinnati in recent years, but it can still be a struggle when you’re tired of veggie burgers and entrée salads. That’s what makes Amma’s Kitchen so clutch. Order literally anything off their extensive menu of South Indian cuisine without any worries — no animal parts are…
Bed and Breakfast
2. Gaslight Bed & Breakfast 3. Symphony Hotel
Japanese
2. Fuji Steak House 3. Ichiban
Pumpkin Patch/Farm
2. Burger Farm & Garden Center 3. Niederman Family Farm
Art Museum
2. Contemporary Arts Center 3. American Sign Museum
Best Value Banh Mi Lunch Spot
Primarily catering to the lunch rush of nearby courthouse and office workers, Le’s Pho & Sandwiches is tragically overlooked by many due to its minimalistic façade and restrictive hours. The restaurant’s titular noodle soup is always served hot, refreshing yet comforting, but the banh mi is the true gem of the small, family-run establishment. The…
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (West Side)
2. BLOC Coffee Company 3. Aroma’s Java and Gelato
Do Gooder
2. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden 3. Chris Seelbach
Local Distillery
2. Northside Distilling Co. 3. Boone County Distilling Co.
Red (Current)
2. Billy Hamilton 3. Anthony DeSclafani
Fountain Square Event
2. Fountain Square Ice Rink 3. Cincy Beerfest
Apartment Community
2. American Can Lofts 3. Alumni Lofts
Tacos
2. Mazunte 3. Gomez Salsa 4. Nada 5. La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina & Tienda 6. Cancun Mexican Restaurant 7. Frida 602 8. Chuy’s 9. Django Western Taco 10. Taco Casa
Best Payoff for Perseverance in a Classical Music Setting
C’est fini! Three years ago, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s music director Louis Langrée introduced the three-year Pelléas Project devoted to music inspired by Maurice Maeterlinck’s Symbolist play Pelléas et Mélisande, with staging by James Darrah. While the first two installments were musically superb, Darrah’s visual ideas were blasted by audiences and critics. But the CSO…
Neighborhood Shopping District
2. Hyde Park Square 3. Ludlow Avenue (Clifton)
Best Exhibit for Art Freaks and Science Geeks
The wondrous Ana England: Kinship exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum bolstered the argument that STEM education (focused on science, technology, engineering and math) can be broadened to include the arts and be referred to as STEAM. England, who led the ceramics program at Northern Kentucky University for three decades, has long been inspired by…
Tire Store
2. AAA | Bob Sumerel Tire & Service 3. Costco
Best (and Only) Local Baseball Museum
The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum is a shrine to all things Reds and the sport’s most immersive museum outside the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Its 10 full-time galleries include “Glory Days,” a tribute to championship teams like the Big Red Machine; “The Reds Are on the Radio,” where fans…
Best Temporary Tower of Light
One of the most memorable installations at BLINK was comparably low-tech when looking at the other interactive light art and frenetic projection-mapping installations — although it was itself a marvel of construction. Joe Girandola and Matt Lynch created “Endless Commerce” by piling (and securing) milk crates into a 70-foot-high tower on a vacant space along…
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. The Daily Grind & Slice 3. Coffee Beans & Brew
Best Way to Fulfill Your Rockstar Fantasy
A novel approach to the sing-along staple, Sexy Time Live Band Karaoke exchanges backing tracks for a full band of veteran Cincinnati rockers who are missing just one thing: a lead singer. During their karaoke “concerts,” you take the microphone and bring all the pomp, swagger and drunken falsetto to the stage while they play…
Place to Drink While You Wait for a Table
2. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade 3. The Lackman
Local Band (Covers)
2. Naked Karate Girls 3. The Menus
Bartender (Male)
2. Chris Stokley (MadTree Brewing) 3. Bennett Cooper (16-Bit Bar+Arcade)
Overall Restaurant
2. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct 3. Boca 4. Dewey’s Pizza 5. Incline Public House 6. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 7. The Eagle 8. Taste of Belgium 9. Please 10. Mazunte
Mediterranean/Greek
2. Andy’s Mediterranean Grille 3. Sebastian’s Gyros
Liquor Store
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. DEP’s Fine Wine & Spirits
Hotel
2. Hotel Covington 3. Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza
Best Way to Find That Midcentury Modern Home in Cincinnati
Husband-and-wife team Susan and Arlen Rissover first bonded over something they would eventually go into business in together: their matching Midcentury Modern dorms at the University of Cincinnati. Now, they have a thriving realty business — Cincinnati Modern — based around buying and selling houses that exemplify Midcentury architecture. The realty dream-team boasts a list…
Pet Adoption Service
2. Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP) 3. Adore-A-Bull Rescue
Comedy Club
2. Liberty Funny Bone 3. MOTR Pub
Best Korean Spam Stew
Inspired by the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, people were feeling Korean food this February — even the non-adventurous eaters. And instead of focusing on typical favorites (hi, dolsot bibimbap), or “weird” seafood stuff, people were talking about Spam. Yes: that blue tin of processed, canned, gelled ham. During the Korean War, Spam was introduced to…
Best College Drop-Out Story
Despite the popular notion that English majors usually take up permanent residence in their parents’ basements, Katie Trauth Taylor achieved the closest thing to financial stability one can hope for these days: a tenure-track professorship. But she quit! In the name of public intellectualism, Trauth Taylor launched Untold Content, a writing consultancy firm that offers…
Best Ramen Roundup
Steamy, savory and filled with noodles, ramen is as much of a food for the soul as a bowl of chicken soup on a cold day (or a hot one). Chef Hideki Harada’s weekly ramen pop-up, held every Monday from December through March at Northside Yacht Club, provided a warm escape from the winter chill,…
Best New Arts Fair for Luddites
With an abundance of local artists, printmakers, poets and collectors, the Cincinnati Art Book Fair surprised everyone with its quality and turnout when it was held for two days in December at Hoffner Lodge in Northside. Organized by Anytime Dept., an artist-run curatorial and event programming collaborative, the event featured poetry readings, film screenings and…
Best After-Hours Brasserie
Our historic city market is becoming a dining destination. Starting when Jean-Robert de Cavel opened his tres chic bistro French Crust in 2016, a few other restaurants also have made it possible to enjoy meals even when the market is not open. French Crust serves breakfast, lunch and very popular weekend brunches along with Parisian-style…
Playground
2. Washington Park 3. Summit Park
Best Sassy Spandex
Comparing your backside to that of a hippo’s is not always a flattering formula, but Cincy Shirts’ “feeling hip” leggings are a cute way to display your #TeamFiona pride. It’s no secret that women have basically stopped wearing real pants — the dressing down of American fashion and the upgrading of yoga pants to normcore…
Toy Store
2. Toys R Us 3. Coolest Toys on Earth
Overall Bakery (Sweets)
2. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli 3. Holtman’s Donuts
Bourbon Selection (Retail)
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. DEP’s Fine Wine & Spirits
Live Music While You Eat
2. Dee Felice Café 3. Hofbräuhaus
Boutique (Downtown/OTR)
2. Elm & Iron 3. MiCA 12/v
Wedding Reception Hall
2. Bell Event Centre 3. Drees Pavilion/ The Madison (TIE)
Weekend Getaway (within 100 Miles)
2. Red River Gorge, Ky. 3. Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Frozen Yogurt
2. Yagööt 3. United Dairy Farmers
Late-Night Eatery
2. Goodfellas Pizzeria 3. Anchor Grill
Best Human-Approved Shake-and-Bake Dog Treats
These days people tend to feed their pets better than themselves — a trend that has expanded into high-end dog treats. Human-grade beef jerky! Iced cookies! Freeze-dried fish! Pupcakes! Whisk & Wag is a local, family-owned company that combines humans’ need to nurture with their obsession with buying fancy treats by offering dog bone baking…
Park (City)
2. Ault Park 3. Eden Park
Best Baja Blast
Speaking of Taco Bells, downtown’s Taco Bell Cantina is an amped-up version of the late-night fast-food favorite because they serve alcohol. Along with beer and wine, they also have freezes — which are essentially ICEEs — that you can “twist” by adding your choice of vodka, rum or tequila. A twisted Baja Blast tastes like…
Team (College)
2. Xavier University Men’s Basketball 3. University of Cincinnati Football
Smoothie/Juice Bar
2. Rooted Juicery + Kitchen 3. Off the Vine
Best Way to Bring Home a Piece of the 21c Museum Hotel
It’s the best way to adorn the inside of your shower with what it’s always been missing — a random tile with a nose protruding from it, of course. Since 2012, Cincinnati’s 21c Museum Hotel has dazzled guests with eclectic contemporary art — both in and outside of the 156 hotel rooms. 21c’s online shop…
Bicycle Store
2. Reser Bicycle Outfitters 3. Spun Bicycles
Best Place to Prevent Heart Failure
Did you know the cardiovascular system of a person in distress looks identical to that of a lifelong smoker? Considering that it’s normal to lead a hectic life, we should be more stressed about our stress! While there are many avenues for slowing down and smelling the roses, Troy Bronsink has set out to make…
Best Coffee Pop-Up
Adopting the moniker Felix Coffee, which channels the Latin phrase felix culpa, or “a happy fault,” couple Logan Peele and Jessica Ufkes started serving third wave craft coffee at their church in Loveland as a way to simplify the beverage. Last year, they branched out and started pop-ups and residencies around town, bringing their coffee…
Chicken
2. Chick-fil-A 3. Silver Spring House
MBA Program
2. Xavier University 3. Miami University
Best Push Toward More Funding for Affordable Housing
Greater Cincinnati has a reputation as an affordable city, at least compared to the soaring, four-figure average rents in places like New York City and San Francisco. But, that’s deceptive. Hamilton County has a 40,000-unit gap in affordable housing — a huge deficit that groups in The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition are working to address.…
Northern Kentuckian
2. Cris Collinsworth 3. Nick Clooney 4. Jean-Robert de Cavel 5. Otto M. Budig Jr. 6. Michael Monks 7. Maryanne Zeleznik 8. Tom Browning 9. Colonel De Stewart 10. Eric Deters
Thai
2. Bangkok Bistro 3. Lemon Grass
Furniture Store
2. Furniture Fair 3. Bargains and Buyouts
Best Place to Find Wild Pants and Warm Smiles
The art of thrifting demands patience, but a little less so at Julie’s Inspiration Consignment Shoppe, where you’ll find a wide selection of vintage items dating from the 1920s-1980s, along with modern men’s and women’s apparel, jewelry, art, collectibles and fair-trade soaps. The fabulous coats and bold jewelry are reason enough to stop by, but…
Team (Professional)
2. Reds 3. Bengals
Bank
2. PNC Bank 3. U.S. Bank
Bar/Club (Central)
2. Northside Yacht Club 3. The Video Archive
Outdoor/Outfitters Shop
2. Bass Pro Shops 3. Cabela’s
Local Musician
2. Kevin Fox 3. Ricky Nye
Best Record Label with a Powerhouse Local Music Roster
The concept of and uses for a record label have changed in the digital music era. But for a while now, several indie labels in Greater Cincinnati have been succeeding in different ways by becoming cultural curators of the local music scene, presenting some of the city’s top artists to the rest of the world…
Best Restaurant That Sounds Like a Convenience Store
No, Kennings Circle K is not a gas station with hot dogs and nachos. This family-owned restaurant actually serves prime rib, barbecue and other homestyle classics. It’s part old-school steakhouse, part your dad’s favorite bar and part 1970s small-town event hall. If you’re of a certain age, you might recognize some nostalgic dishes like hot…
Best Rainbow Lattes
Rooted Juicery + Kitchen teamed up with Urbana Café in 2017 to offer what the smoothie shop has lacked: a good cup of joe. In this case, it’s a superfood latte meets ROYGBIV, and the ingredients may surprise you. The downtown location on Sixth and Walnut — the newest of the three Rooted spots — offers…
Neighborhood Bakery (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli 3. Wyoming Pastry Shop
Best Opera Adventure
Song from the Uproar by Missy Mazzoli was the highlight of last summer’s opera season, thanks to Abigail Fischer’s powerful performance as Isabelle Eberhardt, the Russian-born Swiss adventurer and writer. Although there is a small vocal ensemble, Uproar is a one-woman show and Fischer took on Eberhardt’s complexities with a gorgeously burnished mezzo and balletic…
Local Band (Originals)
2. The Cliftones 3. Young Heirlooms
Neighborhood Bakery (West Side)
2. Busken Bakery 3. Graeter’s
Frame Shop
2. Frameshop 3. Hobby Lobby
Vape Shop
2. Cloud 9 Vapor Lounge 3. Bluegrass Vape
Salads
2. Olive Garden 3. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
Neighborhood Restaurant (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant 3. Sleepy Bee Café (Blue Ash)
Gluten-Free Selection
2. Green Dog Café 3. Melt
Best True MVP
While it was obvious that the Reds didn’t have all the right pieces to contend for a pennant in 2017, the team was often fun to watch, especially on the offensive end. Cincinnati sports fans who might normally balk at supporting a team who isn’t going to make the playoffs had one huge reason to…
Tree Service
2. Beaver Tree Services 3. Madison Tree Care and Landscaping
Physician/Healthcare Practice
2. Mercy Health Physicians 3. University of Cincinnati Physicians
Best Bolo Night
Monday nights at Nicola’s mean it’s time to get saucy. “Bolo Monday” at the Italian eatery starts at 5:30 p.m. and features a real meal deal: a salad, an entrée-sized portion of housemade tagliatelle noodles covered in Nicola’s famous meaty Bolognese sauce and a bread basket for $16. The Bolognese is a long-held family recipe…
Local Author
2. Jillian Kuhlmann 3. Phil Nuxhall
Craft Beer Store
2. The Party Source 3. Dutch’s
Best Reason to Venture Outside of Clifton for Indian
Uptown has long been a mecca for tasty Indian fare, but different cuisines are making their way to other Cincy neighborhoods. Now there’s even Indian food on the West Side! Located in a refurbished Taco Bell, Aap India fills a gap in the Bridgetown/Cheviot-area’s restaurant offerings, with a daily lunch buffet and full menu featuring…
Best Local Hip Hop Coverage
Cincinnati music in general gets some cursory coverage from the local media, but one specific genre of music in the Queen City has an entire magazine (and website) dedicated it. DBLCIN Magazine is released quarterly, while its site keeps the coverage going between issues, regularly posting new songs, videos, events and news updates for some…
Bearcat (Current)
2. Coach Mick Cronin 3. Kyle Washington
Bar/Club (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. Back Porch Saloon 3. Fox & Hound
Place to Throw Darts
2. Murphy’s Pub 3. Crazy Fox Saloon
Best Reason to Paint Yourself Orange and Blue
The hottest sports ticket in town belongs to FC Cincinnati, which spread its orange-and-blue fandom across Cincy during its inaugural season in 2016. With uber-professional business and marketing efforts led by the deep pockets of Carl Lindner III and former Bengals executive Jeff Berding, the organization asked for — and received — the city’s utmost…
Chiropractic Practice/Clinic
2. Norwood Chiropractic & Sports Injury Center 3. Baker Chiropractic and Wellness
Best Hot Hot Yoga Deal
With the new year — and the approaching swimsuit season — many people are making weight-loss resolutions. The practice of yoga claims to connect your health and happiness with some mind-body exercise, but going full yogi isn’t always cheap. Luckily, plenty of local yoga studios offer both free and low-cost community classes for you to…
Old Thing
2. Findlay Market 3. Music Hall
Overall Boutique (Local)
2. Elm & Iron 3. Rose & Remington 4. Rookwood Pottery 5. MiCA 12/v 6. Homage 7. Black Owned 8. Kismet 9. Downtown Girl 10. Handzy Shop + Studio
Neighborhood Bakery (Northern Kentucky)
2. The Buttercream Boutique 3. Cookie Jar Bakery
Cincinnati Neighborhood
2. Northside 3. Hyde Park
Best Pocket Pantry
People’s Pantry has utilized out-of-use newspaper boxes (donated by The Cincinnati Enquirer and others) throughout the city for a new purpose: to provide accessible food to low-income folks. Similar to the community lending libraries popping up in cities nationwide, anyone can donate canned food, boxed pasta, non-perishables or toiletries with ease. Just drop it in…
Public School
2. Oak Hills High School 3. Anderson High School
Instagram Account
2. Cincinnati Art Museum (@cincyartmuseum) 3. Cincinnati Refined (@cincyrefined)
Indian
2. Baba India Restaurant 3. Amol India Restaurant
Best Reason Not to Get Chicken at a Chicken Restaurant
The Eagle is decently well known for its addictive brined, dredged and custom-fried chicken. But the cage-free fowl takes a backseat to the restaurant’s pork sandwich. With roasted pork shoulder, broccoli rabe, super-sharp asiago cheese and housemade hot peppers on a toasted hoagie, it’s one of the best things you’ll put in your mouth (and…
Best Blend of Satire, Sketch and ‘Science’
Local comedy troupe Future Science performs its brand of multimedia sketch comedy the last Sunday of every month at MOTR Pub. The general concept amounts to having “scientists” deliver presentations that will be of little to no use to anyone, save — for example — those curious as to what size pot is best for…
Nursery/Plant Store
2. White Oak Gardens 3. A.J. Rahn Greenhouses
Best Collaborative Hip Hop Label
In 2017, five of Cincinnati’s best and most imaginative Hip Hop producers — Homage (CVG), Waldo from Cincinnati, Samuel Steezmore, Phonophage and Dren AD — decided to pool their talents and create Fort Ancient Records. The label has served as a showcase not only for their own estimable talents for crafting engaging beats and tracks…
Guacamole
2. Chipotle 3. Mazunte
Arts & Crafts Classes
2. Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center 3. Silk Road Textiles
Best New Age Alternative to LaCroix
As the LaCroix craze continues, food and beverage experts have predicted an upswing in the production and sales of any and all new carbonated waters. People love to hydrate with those fizzy flavors, man! And local CBD Seltzer is offering a novel alternative: canned seltzer water laced with the “rejuvenating effects of hemp.” From the…
Lighting Store
2. Home Depot 3. Elm & Iron
New Bar/Club (Since March 2017)
2. Revel OTR Urban Winery 3. Octave 4. Bourbon Haus 1841 5. The Hi-Mark 6. Mixwells Northside 7. The Pony OTR 8. Higher Gravity 9. Bay Horse Café 10. The Hub OTR
Best Winterfest Nostalgia Drink
After a 12-year hiatus, Kings Island WinterFest returned in November, even bigger and better than before. Over five million lights twinkled throughout the park, including on the 314-foot Eiffel Tower. In various cafés, like Blitzen’s Hot Beverage Bar, a curious blue hot chocolate drink was offered. The blue-hued drink was an homage to the park’s…
Best Community Classroom
Founded by Nzingha Byrd and Daphney Thomas in 2012, Sweet Sistah Splash in Over-the-Rhine is a multicultural boutique that doubles as a community program space where, on any given day, there may be a Kemetic yoga session, a couple’s date night, an entrepreneurship course, a class about going vegetarian or a children’s reading circle. With…
Museum Exhibit
2. The Future is Female (21c Museum Hotel) 3. Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion (Cincinnati Art Museum)
Pilates
2. Club Pilates 3. BodyMind Balance
Boutique (Northern Kentucky)
2. Coda Co. 3. Handzy Shop + Studio
Free Attraction
2. Cincinnati Art Museum 3. Findlay Market
Restaurant for the Best Bang for Your Buck
2. Skyline Chili 3. Le’s Pho & Sandwiches
Chili (Non-Chain)
2. Camp Washington Chili 3. Price Hill Chili
Bourbon Cocktail
2. Wiseguy Lounge 3. Japp’s Since 1879
Happy Hour (Drinks)
2. Bar Louie 3. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade
Best Regional-Movie Success Story
Writer-director Kogonada’s Columbus, an unsentimental, spare drama set in the Modernist architectural haven that is Columbus, Ind., is intellectual stuff even for an art movie. A cynical Korean-born man is stranded there after his father becomes ill, and he begins a probing, testy relationship with a young woman that centers on the relationship of architecture…
Best New Concert Venue That’s Also a Library
Remember watching Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez and the rest of The Breakfast Club philosophizing and rocking out in a library? Now there’s a chance to do that in real life. The 183-year-old Mercantile Library hasn’t been as quiet since former Enquirer writer John Faherty became executive director in 2015 with the goal of adding innovative…
Best Bagel with Big Flavor for Being So Lil’
Made with chutzpah, Lil’s Bagels is a tasty and twee experience nestled beside Roebling Point Books in Covington. A sign sits out front of a stone pathway, lit by twinkly lights, which leads to the best lil’ bagels in Greater Cincinnati. Order through a walk-up window (windough) like a champ and pair your bagel and…
Best Place to Keep it Local as You Do a Little Mid-Week Shopping
Used to be, if you wanted to get produce or some great meat or spices at Cincinnati’s oldest and best market, you had to scurry out on your lunch break or wait until the weekend. But this past summer, that changed thanks to late night Wednesdays at Findlay Market. Shops at the Over-the-Rhine landmark were…
Bourbon Selection (Bar)
2. Wiseguy Lounge 3. Newberry Bros. Coffee & Prohibition Bourbon Bar
Best FC Cincinnati Wildcard
A native to Thiès, Senegal, former FC Cincinnati forward Djiby Fall scored 16 of the club’s 42 goals, including four game-winners, to lead the team last season. However, Fall’s knack for finding the back of the net likely won’t be what keeps him in the minds of the FCC faithful as he suits up for…
Desserts (Retail)
2. The BonBonerie 3. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
Religious Leader
2. Chuck Mingo (Crossroads) 3. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr (Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
Pet Grooming
2. PetSmart 3. Bow-Wow Boutique
Local Filmmaker
2. Hal Carlton-Ford 3. E.C. Holt
Auto/Car Wash
2. Johnny’s Car Wash 3. AAA Auto Wash
Museum
2. Cincinnati Museum Center 3. Contemporary Arts Center
Consignment Shop
2. Once Upon A Child 3. Clothes Mentor
TV Weathercaster
2. Randi Rico (WLWT) 3. John Gumm (WKRC)
Best Mother’s Day Brunch Crowd-Pleaser
Planning a Mother’s Day get-together can bring on a lot of pressure. We just want to celebrate the ladies in our lives! Moms, grandmas, in-laws, mother figures and any picky personalities can all enjoy the annual brunch buffet at Mecklenburg Gardens. A menu fit for queens regularly includes items like French toast and Belgian waffles,…
Jogging Route
2. Cincinnati Parks 3. Loveland Bike Trail
Soup
2. Zoup! 3. Tom+Chee
Local Indie Craft Market Vendor
2. Keep Your Shirt On Covington 3. Cityscape Tiles
Best Restored Medium-Sized Venue for Cultural Events
Memorial Hall started as a gathering venue for veterans of the Civil and Spanish-American wars back in 1908, adjacent to Music Hall and Washington Park. The Beaux Art structure fell into disuse as its antiquated physical layout — no air-conditioning, almost no restroom facilities and a stage designed for speakers, not performers — simply didn’t…
Best Pop-Up We Wish Was Permanent
University of Cincinnati environmental studies student Lindsey Zinno founded The Northern Market when she was just 17. Now, she juggles her rapidly expanding fiber art and homegoods business with her college courses, and recently oversaw a short-term collaboration with The Native One clothing shop. The pop-up took over the former Indigo Hippo space on Main…
HVAC Company
2. HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric 3. Hauser Air
NKU Norse (Current)
2. Carson Williams 3. Jalen Billups
Golf Course (Public)
2. Aston Oaks Golf Club 3. Avon Fields Golf Course
Best Building We Wish Was Still Standing in Downtown Cincinnati
Gone but not forgotten, the Dennison Hotel came down in 2017, leaving a gaping hole in the fabric of downtown Main Street. The building was demolished after a protracted fight the previous year between preservationists, the city and owners the Joseph Family. It was an obstinate old dude: the demolition was slowed multiple times by…
Best Place to Find Vintage Levi’s
Reunion Clothiers on Main Street has a classic Americana vibe, with bourbon in the shop’s “living room” area and old-school pennants and stuffed stag heads adorning the walls. The owners themselves, Cale Darrell and Frank Welling, have a similar energy. Between their rugged facial hair, stylishly cuffed jeans and joggers and artistic stick-and-poke-style tattoos, the…
Bagels
2. Marx Hot Bagels 3. Panera Bread
Best Fresh Sushi Stop
These days, it’s easy to find sushi in virtually any retail situation, be it a grocery store or large gas station, and in some of the higher-end joints, it can actually be quite palatable. But if you’ve always wanted to know what the best stuff is supposed to look and taste like, you owe it…
Neighborhood Burger Spot (East Side)
2. Terry’s Turf Club 3. Arthur’s
Best Name for a City Proclamation
Face it: “Doris Day Day” is simply fun to say. Then consider the actress’ phenomenal box office success, memorable songs like “Que Sera Sera” and her work for animal welfare, and naming a street in honor of the hometown gal becomes a no-brainer. At the urging of longtime fan Dr. Bob Maltz and Cincinnati Councilman…
Best Riff on a Deli Classic
Of course, you can’t go wrong with pretty much anything they dish out at Jose Salazar’s cozy, eponymous Salazar OTR, but it’s almost impossible to resist the salmon entrée, an elevated take on a bagel with smoked salmon. You get a perfectly cooked piece of king salmon with an “everything” crust (poppy seeds, sesame seeds,…
Local Dance Group
2. Cin City Burlesque 3. Elementz
Best Seat for a Gorgeous Cincinnati Skyline View
If you’re looking for a place to survey the epic expanse of your Queen City kingdom (queendom?), you could do a lot worse than Olden View Park, a small pocket park in East Price Hill sandwiched between the high-rise that’s home to Primavista and the newer Incline Public House. The high perch in one of…
Thrift Shop
2. Valley Thrift Store 3. Goodwill
Boutique (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. Busy Bee Boutique 3. A Village Gift Shop at the Century House
Best Art Gallery to Really Understand the Importance of Community Engagement
Cincinnati has its share of art galleries, but Wave Pool, situated in the post-industrial, onetime blue-collar neighborhood of Camp Washington, has a different approach than any other. It’s not like a commercial gallery with a stable of artists. Instead, founders Skip and Cal Cullen created a dynamic nonprofit in 2015, where art intersects with community…
Butcher Shop
2. Eckerlin Meats 3. Bridgetown Finer Meats
Best Sweet Stroll
As evidenced in the praise recently heaped upon the neighborhood by Food & Wine magazine, Over-the-Rhine has one of the Midwest’s most promising food scenes. And, as we all know, there can’t really be dinner without dessert, which is where the Sweet Stroll through Over-the-Rhine comes in. This two-and-a-half-hour walking tour is sure to satisfy…
Auto Dealer (New Vehicles)
2. Jeff Wyler Honda 3. Kings Toyota
Best New Music Hub
With the rebirth of Over-the-Rhine and downtown, it seemed likely that the city’s central districts would finally get a music store that sold instruments and gear. But few could imagine it would be as cool/great as Herzog Music, a truly multi-dimensional shop that offers much more than guitars, strings and amps. Along with those supplies…
Best Artistic Argument for LSD
Michael Solway, director of the Carl Solway Gallery in the West End, revisited the 1960s and found it still mind-blowingly trippy with his Distant Horizons: Pioneers of Psychedelic Art show, featuring work by Isaac Abrams, Tony Martin, Ira Cohen and the collective USCO (especially member Gerd Stern). As art history has evolved, Psychedelic art hasn’t…
Best Handmade Hat Shop
Gus Miller is the owner, proprietor and hat maker behind downtown mainstay Batsakes. In business for more than 100 years, Miller’s uncles opened Batsakes in 1907 in its original location on Sixth and Walnut streets. In 1951, Miller immigrated to Cincinnati from Greece and started working at the shop, first cleaning, then moving up in…
Seafood
2. The Anchor-OTR 3. Mitchell’s Fish Market
Concert in 2017
2. Foo Fighters @ U.S. Bank Arena 3. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers @ U.S. Bank Arena
Mexican
2. Cancun Mexican Restaurant 3. Bakersfield
Bowling Alley
2. Western Bowl 3. Axis alley
Softball Field
2. Dunham Recreation Center 3. River City West (formerly Rumpke Park)
Cincinnatian
2. Chris Seelbach 3. Anthony Muñoz 4. Jason Snell 5. Dhani Jones 6. Pete Rose 7. Drew Lachey 8. Nick Lachey 9. Molly Wellmann 10. Bob Herzog
Best News for Hungry Urbanites
Urbanists and city elected leaders have salivated at the idea of a downtown Kroger for years — the city’s last one, a Kroger on Race Street, closed in 1969 — but before now, the pieces had never come together. In 2017, the Cincinnati-based grocer announced it will partner with the city to build a 45,000-square-foot,…
Creamy Whip/Soft Serve
2. Dairy Queen 3. Mt. Washington Creamy Whip & Bakery
Local Classical Music Group
2. Cincinnati Pops 3. Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
Best Cincinnati Arts Leader Making an Impression Elsewhere
Know Theatre’s producing artistic director Andrew Hungerford also happens to be a scenic and lighting designer, and his imaginative work repeatedly enhances productions at the Over-the-Rhine theater. He spends time in other cities (his wife, a writer, is based in Los Angeles), but it was pleasing to read a favorable notice of his work in…
Best Radio Show Record Collection
Tuning in to WAIF (88.3 FM; waif883.org) on Saturdays between 3-5 p.m. feels like a trip back in time. Trash Flow Radio, the current project of broadcasting veteran and Northern Kentucky University Chase College of Law professor Ken Katkin, is the product of its host’s 35 years of DJ experience. Katkin began spinning tracks on the…
Smoke/Tobacco Shop
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. Straus Tobacconist
Best Custom T-Shirts Battling Human Trafficking
If you live in extreme poverty, falling into the human trafficking trade is easy; escaping is not. India-based apparel company Freeset is breaking the cycle of generational poverty and sexual exploitation by offering survivors a way out through employment. Along with providing counseling, childcare and financial planning services, Freeset trains workers to sew (with 100 percent organic cotton)…
Gallery Exhibit
2. Still They Persist: Protest Art of the 2017 Women’s Marches (Wave Pool/Contemporary Arts Center) 3. Van Gogh: Into the Undergrowth (Cincinnati Art Museum)
Best Queen City Queens Mural
It’s fitting that you have to go to some effort to see “Wall of Queens,” a tribute to scratching and surviving that hangs in an upper level of the Duke Energy Convention Center. The mural was installed in the fall of 2017 after artist James Pate and a team of ArtWorks apprentices spent months etching…
Comic Book Store
2. Comic Book World 3. Everybody’s Records
Best Reason Buffalo Should Love Andy Dalton
Already out of playoff contention, the Bengals seemed to have nothing but pride to play for in their regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens this past season, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Buffalo Bills’ first playoff berth in 17 years was dependent on a Cincinnati win over the Ravens, and…
Local Improv/Sketch Comedy Group
2. Improv Cincinnati 3. Future Science
Best Place to Play Connect Four and Eat Breakfast
Breakfast and board games: The combination you never knew you needed and now can’t live without. Sugar n’ Spice is a Pepto-Bismol pink restaurant near the Xavier University campus. Its colorful interior is brimming with odds and ends, including a collection of rubber ducks. Their wispy thin pancakes, fluffy omelets and lunch dishes are best…
Specialty Food Market
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market
New Thing
2. Fiona the Hippo 3. Cincinnati Women’s March
Professional Training/Crossfit Gym
2. Cincy 360 Fitness 3. 9Round Fitness
Hardware Store
2. Lowe’s 3. Ace Hardware Clifton
Best $8 Okonomiyaki
A mouthful to say on top of being a mouthful to taste, Quan Hapa’s okonomiyaki are far and away worth the added labor behind the tongue twister. Dubbed an “oki” for the faint of heart, the Japanese-style pancake comes three ways: pork lovers can stick to the house oki, featuring tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), bacon…
Farmers Market Food Stall
2. Taste of Belgium 3. Pho Lang Thang
Candy Store
2. Supreme Nut & Candy 3. Graeter’s
Concert Venue
2. Bogart’s 3. Music Hall
Bloody Mary
2. The Eagle 3. Crazy Fox Saloon
Casino
2. Hollywood Casino 3. Belterra Casino Resort & Spa
Best Anywhere, Anything Everyday Socks
Jumper — a locally based company founded by a former Army Ranger and an outdoor apparel designer — specializes in functional and fashionable apparel; clothing that works for you and looks good. The venture started with their signature undershirt, which never comes untucked and eliminates “underfrump.” Then they expanded into hoodies, sweatpants (the most crowdfunded…
Takeout
2. Eli’s BBQ 3. Gomez Salsa
Best Expletive-Laden Magazine Interview
Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a hometown guy, was never the most taciturn of lawmakers. He was known to tear up on many an occasion during his tenure. But as it turns out, he was really holding back a lot. When he was forced to retire due to a rout by unruly tea partiers…
Jeweler
2. Genesis Diamonds 3. Richter & Phillips
Best Baklava
The search for the best baklava in Cincinnati starts and ends at Areti’s Gyros. Areti’s dessert follows a tried-and-true recipe of filo dough and nuts with a healthy portion of honey to hold it together. The flakiness is second to none, but the ratio of honey to filo is what keeps people coming back. Areti…
Team (High School)
2. Colerain High School Football 3. Milford High School Football
Best Campaign to Keep a Public Space Public
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is one of the nation’s most popular and well appointed, and its crown jewel is undeniably its main branch downtown, which stretches over two city blocks along Vine and Walnut streets. So when proposals surfaced from the Library’s Board of Trustees to decommission and potentially sell the…
Steakhouse
2. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 3. Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny
Neighborhood Burger Spot (West Side)
2. Chandler’s Burger Bistro 3. Mad Mike’s Burgers
Best Matcha Beer Drinks
In 2017, matcha — the fine green-tea powder — hit a fever pitch when it appeared in everything from lattes to cookies and even beer. Covington’s AmerAsia offers a drink in which matcha is hand mixed into a lager or pilsner and then served in a pint glass. Greenish beer foam floats to the top,…
Best Reds Rising Star
Working within a pitching rotation that has undoubtedly seen better days, Cincinnati Reds rookie pitcher Luis Castillo outshined his teammates in his MLB debut in 2017, providing a light at the end of what was a dark, dark tunnel on the mound. Gifted to the Reds via trade, Castillo was sent away from the Miami…
Motorcycle/Motorsports Dealer
2. Cycle Specialties 3. Eastgate Harley-Davidson
Trivia Night
2. Queen City Exchange 3. Northside Yacht Club
Best Repurposing of the Old Neons Space
When Neons closed in 2016, people were devastated to lose “OTR’s backyard,” an intimate drinking destination that harnessed the power of warm weather via its gigantic patio, yard games and outdoor bar (with multiple big-ass TVs). Then, 4EG — the entertainment group behind Lackman, Mount Adams Pavilion, Igby’s and more — announced they’d be taking…
Best Skate Shop We’ll Miss That is Also Still Here
It was a huge bummer to hear that Galaxie Skateshop was closing its Hamilton Avenue location in Northside this winter — the neighborhood just doesn’t feel complete without a place to scoop up that perfect Thrasher hoodie, some Dennis Busenitz Adidas or a new deck from Cincinnati-based Instrument Skateboards. Luckily, Galaxie’s Northern Kentucky location is…
Best Place to Go When You Need to Get Sconed
Let’s be honest. Scones can be hard for bakers to get right — the dense little dough triangles can be too dry sometimes, too crumbly others. Luckily, Brown Bear Bakery has studied some scone science, or maybe magic, and comes up with winners every time. Their turmeric and ginger scone — with delicious, crystalline ginger…
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Downtown/OTR)
2. 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab 3. Collective Espresso
FC Cincinnati Player (Current)
2. Danni König 3. Corben Bone
Best New Store (Since March 2017)
2. Wild Things Antiques 3. Burlap & Birch
Best Place to Sing ‘Brass in Pocket’ in a Pink Wig
The karaoke scene in Sofia Coppola’s wandering indie romcom Lost in Translation is a titillating examination of the chemistry between actors Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray and also the awesome karaoke culture of Japan. One local bar has harnessed that magic: Tokyo Kitty, the most recent hotly anticipated film-meets-fun bar from the team behind Gorilla…
Overall Bakery (Breads)
2. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli 3. Sixteen Bricks
Veggie Burger
2. Arthur’s 3. Arnold’s Bar and Grill
Waitstaff/Service
2. Sotto 3. Boca
Best Brewery for Dogs to Mix and Mingle
Braxton Brewing Company prides itself on loving beer and innovation, but their real soft spot is for dogs, even the rambunctious ones. Employees dole out treats and lots of belly scratches for any pup that visits the taproom. Cross the river for the Revamp India Pale Ale, stay for the canine haven. It’s what all…
Best Bengals Rookie Exceeding Expectations
While some are quick to chalk up the Bengals’ seven-win season in 2017 solely as a disappointment, the team’s rookie class flashed enough in Year 1 to give reason for fans to look toward a much brighter future. Of course, first-round wide receiver John Ross, who played just 17 offensive snaps this past season, remains…
Best Catch-Phrases We’ll Miss in the New City Council Term
By his own telling, Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn was Freddie Kruger, and he could always rise to the occasion because he did his homework. Wait, what now? During long legislative debates last council term, the Republican chair of the powerful Budget and Finance Committee could always be counted on for commentary. Some of it…
Best Hawaiian-Inspired Instagrammable Bowl
After opening in November, Poke Hut Fish & Tea Bar brought a much-needed poke presence to the city. Serving variations of proteins, sauces and toppings in both bowls and “Pokirritos,” Poke Hut lets customers tap into their creative side when crafting an ideal poke dish. There’s a smattering of raw fish favorites (spicy tuna, scallops,…
Boutique (Central)
2. Casablanca Vintage 3. Pangaea Trading Company
Bottled Beer Selection (Retail)
2. The Party Source 3. DEP’s Fine Wine & Spirits
Best Preserved Police Dog
One frigid evening in 1898, Cincinnati patrolman Jim O’Neill was on his downtown beat when he discovered an abandoned puppy along the riverfront. O’Neill scooped up the whimpering pup and brought him back to the station, where he quickly became a furry fixture. Handsome, as the pugnacious little dog became known, soon joined daily patrols,…
Best Midsummer Night’s Reality
William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream focuses on the power of transformation, which made it an especially timely choice to debut the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s sparkling new Otto M. Budig Theater in Over-the-Rhine in September. A show written to engage and delight Shakespeare’s public when first performed in 1605, Midsummer was just right for…
Best App to Help You Get Dressed
Getting dressed in a consumer culture isn’t easy. Fashion has become more about signaling that we can afford to keep up with trends than expressing personal style. Cincinnatian Blake Smith put these pieces together a few years back, wasn’t having it and eventually created Cladwell, a stylist app that spits out daily outfits based on what’s in…
Soccer Facility
2. Soccer City 3. GameTime Training Center
Chocolates
2. Esther Price 3. Maverick Chocolate
Best Barbie Jukebox
It’s verifiable: the more surreal the atmosphere, the better diner food tastes. Three cups of coffee and a plate full of home fries deep into the witching hour, no local hole-in-the wall can compare to the Anchor Grill’s dream-like coziness. Its wood-paneled walls are festooned with lovably hokey knick-knacks and nautical memorabilia. Dim lighting fixtures…
Celtic/British Pub
2. Nicholson’s 3. The Pub at Rookwood Mews
Food Delivery Service
2. DoorDash 3. Green Bean Delivery
Best Bit of the Berlin Wall in Cincinnati
The Queen City is famous for its proud German heritage. And in 1989, Cincinnati became sister cities with Germany’s Bavarian capitol of Munich — the same year the Berlin Wall fell. It’s been over 28 years, and since that time, Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has managed to pick up a chunk of that…
Cocktail Bar/Lounge
2. Japp’s Since 1879 3. Wiseguy Lounge
Overall Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)
2. Hofbräuhaus 3. Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar 4. Walt’s Hitching Post 5. Greyhound Tavern 6. Kung Food Chu’s AmerAsia 7. Otto’s 8. Kitchen 1883 9. Frida 602 10. Anchor Grill
Best Place for Self-Care and Skincare
Nix your facewash and makeup with harsh chemicals and opt for Cypress Skin & Beauty’s line of clay-based treatments. Founded by Nia Baucke to promote skincare as self-care, Cypress offers a line of all natural elixirs, masks and exfoliants meant to help you take control of your “me time.” In addition to her small-batch products,…
Best Song and Spoke Two-Fer
Celebrating Cincinnati’s urban bike culture and cycling activism, The Hub OTR services bikes by day and slings beer and cocktails at night. Opened in 2017, come to the shop to buy a new bike, have someone tune up your existing one or go on a Hub-organized group ride. At night, trade your fixie for a…
Boutique (West Side)
2. LouLou’s 3. Treasure Alley: Yesterday Revisited
Local Actor/Actress
2. Andrew Maloney 3. Brooke Steele
Birthing/Maternity Center
2. Christ Hospital 3. Bethesda North Hospital
Local News Story of 2017
2. FC Cincinnati stadium push 3. BLINK
Cheesesteak
2. Cincy Steak & Lemonade 3. Incline Public House
Restaurant to Take a Foodie
2. Eagle OTR 3. Sotto
Best Burger and Bocce Ball
Venturing to Hyde Park on a Thursday evening means Burger Night at Dutch’s. The artisan larder/bar/eatery doesn’t hold back on their one-night-only specialties — these ain’t no American-cheese-and-mayonnaise-topped meat patties. Dutch’s burgers start out with a base of mouthwatering beef cuts, like 30-day dry-age prime ribeye, an all-natural grass-fed strip or a shoulder from a…
Best Reason to Look Forward to Fridays
Hisako “Chako” Okawa grew up in Japan but emigrated to Covington in 2015. Thankfully, she brought along her culinary skills and opened the sunny Chako Bakery Café on Pike Street. Her pastries, like the matcha cake roll, infused with whipped cream and azuki beans, wrapped in a spongy green cake, are to die for. On…
Tanning Salon
2. Planet Fitness 3. Envy Tan
Best Brunch Blintzes
Weekend brunch at CWC the Restaurant features a slew of tasty creations — breakfast nachos with fried egg and homemade queso, Skyline-soaked flank steak with sharp cheddar grits and a Brussels sprout omelet — but their insanely delicious blintzes are a favorite. Blintzes are an old-world Eastern European Jewish dish — the ultimate comfort food…
Best Over-the-Top Underpass
Emily Wolff’s ARTeries project has turned an underpass between two of Covington’s popular entertainment districts into a destination itself. The restaurateur found it unacceptable that after dining at her establishments Otto’s and Frida 602 in MainStrasse, customers were taking an Uber rather than walking the few blocks to the goings-on at Braxton Brewing Company or…
Overall Burgers (Non-Chain)
2. Terry’s Turf Club 3. Flipdaddy’s Burgers & Beers 4. Arthur’s 5. Chandler’s Burger Bistro 6. Bard’s Burgers & Chili 7. Nation Kitchen & Bar 8. Krueger’s Tavern 9. Gordo’s Pub & Grill 10. Tickle Pickle
Best Overstuffed Art
First, stir up the imagination of artist Bill Ross. Then, layer four carloads of stuffed animals over an 8-foot-high frame. Fill the inside with video featuring creepy birthday celebrations and clips from Night of the Living Dead. Top it off with 3-foot electric candles, and you have the recipe for “Dead Souls Cake.” The soft…
Health Food Store
2. Findlay Market 3. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market
Best Shucking Deal
Eighth & English — the seafood-centric, Italian-flavored eatery which goes by the nickname 8 & E — has established a nice niche in O’Bryonville’s business strip. A selection of excellent homemade pasta dishes — including a popular black spaghetti with poached lobster — anchors the dinner menu along with several fish dishes. But in terms…
Best Example of a Deserving Local Artist Getting National Attention
Using scrap paper gathered and glued together from his day job at Kroger, Cincinnati-based artist Courttney Cooper makes complex, large-scale drawings in ballpoint pen of aerial views of the local landscape, informed by an intimate knowledge of his hometown. He has been heralded in Cincinnati and shown at the Cincinnati Art Museum and other local…
Best Way to Fulfill Your Broadway Fantasy
LGBTQ+ nightclub Below Zero Lounge is nestled snuggly between the nightlife action on Vine and Main streets in OTR and plenty of trendy theater destinations — Know Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Cincy Shakes and the Aronoff. These two facts are specifically important during Thursday night karaoke when the Patty and Matty Karaoke Show takes over the…
Best Much-Anticipated Mexican Destination
Almost two years ago, there were rumors that an important addition to the foodie world was coming to an out-of-the-way corner of the metro area. A Mexican/Latin restaurant with an ambitious chef and design-conscious owner would open in Pleasant Ridge, probably by the end of last summer. As it happened, though, the chef went elsewhere…
Best Appalachian Alchemy
Emily Little first launched her line of soaps and body products as “Little Organics,” with a focus on herbal medicine, informed and filtered through her Appalachian heritage. Now, almost a decade old, Little Organics is Queen City Alchemy, a high-end locally made holistic skincare line featuring soaps, serums, balms, deodorants and other botanicals crafted using…
TV Sportscaster
2. Marty Brennaman (Cincinnati Reds) 3. Ken Broo (WCPO)
Best Loaded Toast and Latte Shop
Looking out over Race Street and facing Findlay Market, there’s plenty of good people watching to be done at the second branch of Deeper Roots Coffee (their flagship café is located in Oakley). With gorgeous, wide windows, it’s a great space to sip on a Honey Bear latte, made with local honey and cinnamon, and…
Best Substitute for Community Newsletters
While the selection of inspirational reads, fair-trade coffee and reliable WiFi (not to mention the cushy couches) are hard to beat at Roebling Point Books & Coffee in Covington, you can rest assured that each visit comes with lingering conversations about someone’s education initiative, creative frustrations or even pregnancy news. Of course, there are quiet…
Best Bearcat Football Freshman
Though he played just 376 defensive snaps as a true freshman in 2017, University of Cincinnati linebacker Jarell White still made a worthwhile impact as part of the Bearcats’ defense and flashed star-level potential. Dubbed a four-star recruit by Rivals and a three-star by 247Sports, ESPN and Scout coming out of Cincinnati’s LaSalle High School,…
ArtWorks Mural
2. “Cincinnati Toy Heritage” 3. “Swing Around Rosie” 4. “Mr. Dynamite” 5. “Dream Big and Fly High” 6. “Martha, The Last Passenger Pigeon” 7. “Homecoming (Blue Birds)” 8. “Little Sure Shot” 9. “Lookin’ Good” 10. “Ezzard Charles: The Cincinnati Cobra”
Vietnamese
2. Le’s Pho & Sandwiches 3. Cilantro
Best Coffee Shop to Finally Write That Novel
We have yet to encounter a more charming and affable coffeehouse than Landlocked Social House, and as writers, we know our way around a coffee shop. The drinks are made well and are well priced, and the vibe inside is *insert 100% and praise hands emojis*. It just has that all-around good coffee shop feel.…
Tea Shop/Selection
2. Coffee Emporium 3. Essencha Tea House
Church Festival
2. Immaculate Heart of Mary 3. CincItalia
Best Spectral Picnic Spot
The Loveland Castle, or Chateau Laroche, is a slice of medieval Europe on the banks of the Little Miami River. Modeled after classic castles, the structure features towers, a dry moat, hand-tiled ceilings, murder holes (it was a real thing; look it up) and a collection of period weaponry. Hand built over the course of…
Dance Club
2. Boogie Nights 3. Mount Adams Pavilion
Realtor (Individual)
2. Shelby Neumann 3. Molly Eynon and Sara Limper, CBWS
Restaurant for Large Parties
2. Montgomery Inn 3. Moerlein Lager House
Pub Food
2. Arthur’s 3. Arnold’s Bar and Grill
Best Reason to Get Right with the Lord Before Entering the West Side
If you were 76 years old and thousands of cars drove over you every day, you’d be tired, too. In 2017, motorists snapped pictures of concrete falling from the literally crumbling Western Hills Viaduct, reminding us that, despite officials’ promises that the bridge is safe, our gateway from the center of the city to Price…
Best Suburban Bookstore
It’s good to see a suburban bookshop, period. But it’s especially good to see one with a literary bent that isn’t solely dedicated to children’s books, religious books, business books and knick-knacks. The Book Shelf in Madeira is that kind of store. Though not large, it’s big enough (and takes its mission seriously enough) to…
Burritos
2. Gomez Salsa 3. Mazunte
Best Sports Love Affair
In the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain, one of the more moving moments was when Jake Gyllenhaal’s aching character told his secret lover, “I wish I knew how to quit you.” Bengals owner Mike Brown seems to have a similar quandary when it comes to his professional relationship with Marvin Lewis. Sports history is littered with examples…
Best Restaurant to Entice Action Bronson to Visit Cincy
With its chill vibe and a focus on understated, approachable food, natural wine and craft coffee, it doesn’t get any cooler than Pleasantry. Whether for a nice dinner date or brunch with friends, the menu lets the ingredients shine — think avocado toast, fried olives and steak frites (a weekly special). That’s why we think…
Health Club/Gym
2. Cincinnati Sports Club 3. Mercy HealthPlex
Lingerie Store
2. Knickers of Hyde Park 3. Hustler Hollywood
Best Six-Buck Mule
In the past couple of years, cities big and small have resurrected the Moscow Mule — vodka, ginger beer and lime juice served in a copper mug. Other international iterations have popped up, like a Kentucky mule (replace bourbon with vodka) and a Mexican mule (tequila instead of vodka, of course). But Mules don’t need…
Local Brewery
2. MadTree Brewing 3. Braxton Brewing Company 4. Listermann Brewing Company 5. Brink Brewing Company 6. Mt. Carmel Brewing Company 7. Taft’s Ale House 8. Urban Artifact 9. Fifty West Brewing Company 10. Nine Giant Brewing
Local Music Promoter
2. Nederlander Entertainment 3. Self Diploma
Local Theater Company
2. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company 3. Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Best Movie About Cincinnati, Even If It Doesn’t Specifically Mention Cincinnati in its Narrative
In the past several years, Cincinnati’s film commission has killed it in bringing quality movies to shoot in town. Carol, The Fits and last year’s festival favorite The Killing of a Sacred Deer have put Cincy on the map as a viable filming destination. Sacred Deer stars Colin Farrell as a cardiac surgeon working at…
Findlay Market Vendor
2. Eli’s BBQ 3. Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices
Best Space-Inspired, Star-Speckled Trail
Carl Sagan, the Mr. Rogers of science, would be proud. Liz and Josiah Wolf spent 10 months creating Space Walk, “an immersive visual art installation designed to convey the true scale of our solar system,” which crawls along the Mill Creek Greenway trail in Northside. It’s a self-explanatory three-quarter-mile trail that takes on-lookers on a…
College/University
2. Xavier University 3. Northern Kentucky University
Home Accessories Store
2. Bed Bath & Beyond 3. Elm & Iron
Best Expansion of a Performing Arts Facility
When others were abandoning ship in Over-the-Rhine in the early 2000s, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati — already a decade into occupying an old bank building on Vine Street — chose to stick it out. Nearly two decades later, it’s a neighborhood anchor and recently became even more substantial because of the organization’s growth into three more…
Under the Radar Restaurant
2. Incline Public House 3. Cheapside Café
Best New Radio Station Distracting Us From Our Grief Over the Loss of WNKU
Pretty much everyone was crestfallen when Northern Kentucky University sold WNKU. But when one door to hip new music closes, the sonic gods open a window. That window is Urban Artifact’s Radio Artifact, which broadcasts from the Northside brewery. The station, launched in 2017, is focused on local and independent music, art and entertainment. Radio…
Opportunities for Local Artists
2. The City Flea 3. Cincy Fringe Festival
Wine Shop
2. DEP’s Fine Wine & Spirits 3. The Party Source
Local Indie Craft Market
2. O.F.F. Market 3. Art on Vine
Gelato/Sorbetto/Frozen Ice
2. Graeter’s 3. Aglamesis Bros.
Camera Store
2. Best Buy 3. Western Hills Photo & Hobby
Best Charcuterie at the Bar
Nino Loreto is producing the finest handcrafted cured meats in the region, and his charcuterie platters are the perfect way to introduce yourself to this culinary art. Panino is a self-proclaimed specialty sandwich shop where Loreto turns out salumi, mortadella, capicola and more from his underground curing chamber, all without the use of chemical agents.…
Best Cup of Hot Chocolate Across the River
The recently expanded Carabello Coffee serves “coffee and compassion in tandem.” Their philanthropic business model gives a portion of profits back to underdeveloped coffee-bean growing communities, including through Carabello’s direct relationship with an orphanage in Nicaragua (as well as a farm there). Visit their six-seater Analog Coffee Bar, where you can choose from more complicated,…
Best Reclaimed Wood Work
Coda Co. home décor shop was started by husband-and-wife duo Tanner and Kelti Ziese as a date-night hobby. Kelti is the softer side of the business, hand weaving macramé wall hangings out of cotton rope — organically attached to driftwood collected from the banks of the Ohio River — while Tanner works with reclaimed bourbon…
Lasik Surgery Center
2. LasikPlus Vision Center 3. Midwest Eye Center
Delicatessen
2. Avril-Bleh & Sons 3. Carl’s Deli
Best Political Drama, Local Division
Phew, y’all. For a minute there, we didn’t think we’d get through the 2017 mayoral race between Mayor John Cranley and Cincinnati City Councilwoman Yvette Simpson. The contest pitted two powerful intellects and personalities against each other in a knock-down, drag-out brawl over the future of the city. Never before has a hospital expansion been…
Korean
2. Red Sesame BBQ 3. Bibibop
Best Chance of Unlocking Childhood Memories
Wander around Findlay Market long enough and you’ll probably wind up in Karen and Bill Buss’ storefront, Ida Candles. Filled with scents that take you back to Grandma’s breakfasts and Saturday morning chores, they also carry handmade soaps and graphic-print aprons and totes. The couple started experimenting with candle making near the end of their…
Best Beer and Bike Rental
Want a beer? How about a bike? Maybe a canoe? Find all three — and a chef-driven seasonal food menu — at Fifty West. The brewery has expanded its empire to include the great outdoors and taken over a mile-long stretch of Wooster Pike with its Production Works facility — home of a canoe and…
Best Spot to Get a Non-Cincinnati-Style Chilidog
We love our classic cheese coneys with the Queen City’s signature meat sauce, but occasionally you need to eat something a little different. If that’s the mood you’re in next time you’re out getting a lil’ tipsy, try The Royal in Over-the-Rhine. The late-night spot has a few different choices when it comes to delicious…
Place to Take a Visitor
2. Findlay Market 3. Over-the-Rhine 4. Jungle Jim’s International Market 5. Smale Riverfront Park 6. Cincinnati Reds game 7. Carew Tower Observation Deck 8. Cincinnati Museum Center 9. The Banks 10. FC Cincinnati game
Neighborhood Bakery (Downtown/OTR)
2. Brown Bear Bakery 3. Blue Oven Bakery (Findlay Market)
Best Family Clothing Store
Mike & Carol Trotta’s bright, cheerful custom clothing and ladies’ fine apparel business (which also has tailoring services) is the kind of independently owned establishment that gives downtown its personality and soul. It is also a living link to the city’s history. Mike Trotta started it in 1936; his son Mike works there today and…
Local Winery
2. Vinoklet Winery 3. Elk Creek Winery
Place to Shoot Pool
2. MainStrasse Village Pub 3. Northside Tavern
Desserts (Restaurant)
2. Grand Finale 3. O Pie O
Best Shot for Northside to Get a Grocery Store Again
We’ve been waiting patiently for cooperative grocery Apple Street Market to get off the ground, and it seems like the final piece may have fallen into place late in 2017. That’s because the city gave the go-ahead to fund the purchase of the former Save-A-Lot building in the neighborhood where the market wants to locate.…
Best Arcade and Drink Curation Inside a Bar
Cincinnati is lucky to have two solid arcade bars, about which sweeping generalizations can be made. Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition is the nerdier, more nuanced arcade-first, bar-second destination in the city that presents a carefully selected array of arcade cabinets for a discerning crowd of old-school connoisseurs. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade, however, is a more drinks-driven business that utilizes…
Pawn Shop
2. American Trading Company 3. Facet Jewelry, Music & Pawn
Best Vision of the Future
BLINK was about the artworks, yes — the murals, the light projections on buildings, the sculptures and phantasmagorical special installations. But it was also about the people. And on Pleasant Street, where thousands walked late into the night to take in the sights (and each other) between Findlay Market and Washington Park, it seemed like…
Friend to the Environment
2. Cincinnati Nature Center 3. Great Parks of Hamilton County
Best Alternative to Fries
A burger joint without fries may sound like sacrilege to fast-food fry-hards: the holy union between crispy potatoes and grilled beef is as solidly devised as the balance of nature itself. Where the earth meets the water, so too do sesame seed buns meet cheese. Where the wind stokes the fires, salt tinges the fry’s…
Sports Coverage
2. OhVarsity! 3. Fox Sports Ohio
Best Cure for a MadTree Hangover
Some visitors to MadTree Brewing’s newly revamped taproom have undoubtedly woken up the next day with a souvenir that assuredly isn’t a commemorative pint glass. But never fear, dear hangover-sufferer, there’s an easy way to relieve this hellish existence: go back to MadTree! The local brewery has begun offering brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings,…
Barbecue
2. City Barbeque 3. Montgomery Inn 4. Pontiac 5. Pickles and Bones 6. Just Q’in 7. Sweets & Meats BBQ 8. Big Art’s BBQ Grill 9. Alabama Que/SmoQ (TIE) 10. Bee’s Barbecue
Best Working Studio and Exhibition Space
Operating out of its current location for less than a year, Bunk Spot has benefited immensely from the exhibitions that manager Ben Brown sets up on Final Fridays in what otherwise is a working studio in the Pendleton Arts District. It’s a continuation of a music/arts venue that Brown and former collaborator Chris Adams began…
Best Instrumental Message
One of the best music releases of 2017 was the brilliant “comeback” album by instrumental Cincinnati Post Rock/Indie Rock ensemble johnnytwentythree. The Bridge is a fantastically evocative album on its own, but knowing the context makes it all the more genius, and often a more devastating listening experience. The band and its multimedia live show…
Wedding Dresses
2. David’s Bridal 3. Amanda’s Hyde Park Bridal
Best Bite on a Single Plate
Mild chili spices a hefty portion of shredded chicken as a centerpiece in the Guajillo Chicken Bowl at Maplewood Kitchen and Bar, but along with it comes a farro/quinoa blend, smoked black beans, roasted corn, sliced avocado, pickled onions and a few other treats to perk up your taste buds. With a beer or a…
Best Use of Tiny Horses to Cheer Up Travelers
The Greater Cincinnati area made national headlines back in February 2017 when CVG enlisted the help of very cute miniature horses to soothe air-weary travelers. Think Lil’ Sebastian from Parks and Recreation, only in real life and there when you need him most. The therapy horses from Ross-based nonprofit Seven Oaks Farm helped welcome jet-lagged…
Bartender (Female)
2. Valerie Diehl (Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar) 3. Nonta Perkins (MOTR Pub)
Park (County)
2. Miami Whitewater Forest 3. Sharon Woods
Bookstore (Chain)
2. Barnes & Noble 3. Half Price Books
Coach/Manager High School
2. Adam Lazar (Walnut Hills Women’s Basketball) 3. Steve Specht (Saint Xavier High School)
Veterinary Care
2. Noah’s Ark Animal Clinic 3. Grady Veterinary Hospital
Best Behind-the-Scenes Strings of Female Entrepreneurship
The female-centered business incubator Bad Girl Ventures underwent a makeover last year, changing its name to Aviatra Accelerators, but they haven’t strayed far from their mission of helping female entrepreneurs succeed in the commercial arena. From bridal shops to architecture firms to fitness centers, the Aviatra team utilizes their business backgrounds to connect startup dreamers…
Grocery Store
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market 3. Findlay Market
Local Comedian
2. Gary Owen 3. Josh Sneed
Hiking Trail
2. Loveland Bike Trail 3. Miami Whitewater Forest
Restaurant for a First Date
2. Incline Public House 3. Bakersfield
Best Time to Protect Your Tennis Whites
The Western & Southern Open is the oldest tennis tournament in the U.S., having been established in 1899. Today, it’s a stop on the U.S. Open Series, a five-week tennis season that culminates in the fourth Grand Slam of the year, the U.S. Open. Each August, Mason’s Lindner Family Tennis Center becomes home to the…
Best Chili Passport
A bright yellow door with a high-five handprint marks the opening to Handzy Shop + Studio, a purveyor of cheerful cards, art prints and calendars overseen by designers/co-owner Suzy King and Brittney Braemer. The two best friends met in design school and opened their Covington storefront in July 2016, offering the cutest darn assortment of…
Best Jamming New Live Music Venue
Last summer, after some booking shuffling, the Covington space that turned into Octave started to become a touring destination for artists in the so-called Jam band scene (a terrible name that hints at open-ended, improvisational elements of the acts, but fails to encapsulate the very broad range of styles within the community), while also hosting numerous…
Best Shop Cat
EarthWise Pet all-natural pet nutrition market and spa has food, supplies, grooming and accessories for green-leaning furry family members and their humans. Part of a national 40-year-old chain but independently owned, EarthWise frequently works with local cat rescues — specifically Cincinnati Cats, a special needs and at-risk shelter — to house and socialize adoptable felines…
Place to Camp
2. Big Bone Lick State Park 3. Hueston Woods State Park
Best Worst Nightmare
Last year, the USS Nightmare — one of the Tristate’s scariest and possibly literally haunted attractions — cast its anchor on the banks of the Ohio River in Newport for its 25th season. Boasting a slew of ghastly bilge rats, guests walked the galleys of this ship to encounter vampires, zombies, clowns and more spine-chilling…
Best Plan to Link Up Cincinnati’s Bike Infrastructure and Make the City More Accessible to Cyclists and Walkers
What if you could hop on a bike trail just about anywhere in the city and connect to a network of trails that would take you just about anywhere else in Cincinnati? Queen City Bike, Red Bike, Tri-State Trails and the Urban Basin Bicycle Club joined forces back in September to advocate for just such…
Best Dose of Weekend Dumplings
Several years ago, Ashak Chipalu, his mother Rose and his father Manoj starting serving Nepalese cuisine out of a food cart at Findlay Market and other local venues. Bridges, as the pop-up was called, was a big enough hit that at the end of February 2017, Ashak opened the eatery as a brick-and-mortar in Northside.…
Margarita
2. Cancun Mexican Restaurant 3. Nada
Best Place to Find a Pink Sink
At Building Value, remodelers donate used or leftover building materials to the nonprofit, which resells these materials to the public at a deeply discounted rate; prices are often a third the cost of new. The constantly changing merchandise selection includes antique doors and windows, funky Atomic Age-colored sinks and toilets, vintage ranges and even authentic…
Business Lunch
2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill 3. Skyline Chili
Best Activism Around Cincinnati’s Need for Better Bus Service
Due to an aging fleet and budget constraints, it’s a sad fact these days that you can’t always count on the bus showing up on time in Cincinnati. But here’s something you can set your watch by: Cam Hardy and the Better Bus Coalition he founded will be talking about it. Hardy has done tons…
Lawyer (Individual)
2. Mike Allan 3. Cara Stewart
Best Girlboss Barbecue
There are a lot of secret ingredients that go into good barbecue, but Sweets & Meats founder Kristen Bailey’s are pretty simple: a fold-up table borrowed from a neighboring ice cream stand, a smoker and a tent in a parking lot and a lot of hard work. Sprinkle on some help from business accelerator MORTAR…
Best Steamed Sandwich Overhaul
Formerly Gilpin’s steamed sandwich shop, Losantivill3 opened in the fall. Owner Brad Gilpin decided to rebrand the lunch and late-night downtown stop with a healthier angle (no more Doritos bagel sandwiches) and the eatery now makes its own seitan, offers quinoa bowls and has an entire vegan/vegetarian menu. There are still steamed sandwiches, but they…
Best Squiggly Ceramics
CK_TC Ceramics is a local design studio that offers peculiarly shaped pottery, including signature pieces like patterned pots and vessels adorned with color-gradient squiggles. Owners and ceramicists Colin Klimesh and Taylor Carter merge digital methods with traditional tools, using state-of-the-art 3-D modeling programs while handcrafting clays and glazes in-house — a process Klimesh says creates…
Best Sweet Potato Beignets
The Cincinnati foodie world buzzed this past summer in anticipation of the opening of what promised to be an exceptional new venture in OTR. Word first came in August in the form of a cryptic, free-verse poem delivered by managing partner Jim Cornwell to a handful of media types. Headlined by a chef most recently…
Best Mini Movie Theater
Besides the Esquire and Mariemont movie theaters, Cincinnati is rather bereft of serious art-house cinemas. But when C. Jacqueline Wood brought her nonprofit People’s Liberty Globe Grant-winning Mini Microcinema to Over-the-Rhine, she made an immediate impact on the local film scene. Every week, the tiny storefront, located on Main Street, screens outside-the-box films/videos/media from the…
Private School
2. Elder High School 3. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Best Diner to Visit to Get a Document Notarized
Frequent diners at Blue Jay Restaurant in Northside may notice some uncharacteristic paperwork happening at the lunch counter from time to time. Longtime Blue Jay employee Dianne Oppenheimer is also a notary public, making her a very useful woman to know. Oppenheimer has helped many people in sudden need of a document’s legally binding notarization…
Best Hank
Nate Hudak, co-owner and artist at Crying Heart Tattoo in Over-the-Rhine, is incredibly well known for his American Traditional tattoo style, traveling to conventions and doing guest spots at parlors around the world — places like Detroit, Denver, New York City, Barcelona and Cape Town, South Africa. But possibly more well-known than Hudak is his…
Best Tale of Two Tomato Sauces
New York City and Chicago are well-known for several things. But most importantly, each city is known for a particular style of pizza. New York pizza is hand-tossed with thin, wide slices and deliciously greasy cheese. Chicago style? You’re talking deep dish — a super thick round pie covered in chunky tomato sauce with a…
Local Cause
2. Matthew 25: Ministries 3. Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio
Farmers Market
2. Hyde Park Farmers Market 3. Blue Ash Farmers Market
Jukebox
2. Anchor Grill 3. MOTR Pub
Best Fusion of East-Meets-West Eats
A collaboration between Eli’s BBQ and the Lang Thang Group, The Hi-Mark offers meals that appeal to diners with diverse palates. Whether you’re a staple bar food purist or a lover of simple Vietnamese cooking, this relatively new spot can dish out whatever you desire. The pulled pork banh mi showcases the best of both…
Best Bar Bingo
If you’re feeling like trivia and karaoke are played out, go grandma-style with bar bingo at Queen City Exchange. Every Thursday night — aka Thirsty Thursday — they host a very friendly bingo session, with prizes given out at the end of each round. If that’s not enough gaming for you, the bar itself is…
Coffeehouse (National)
2. Dunkin’ Donuts 3. Panera Bread
Restaurant Design
2. Taft’s Ale House 3. Sotto
Best Birthday Beer
Listermann Brewing Company had the very smart idea of combining two of Cincinnati’s favorite things: local beer and Fiona. Since last summer, Listermann has released several limited-edition brews named after the photogenic cutie including Team Fiona and variants Team Fiona: Bifi, DDH Team Fiona and Team Fiona: Birthday, for her first birthday. The first release…
Summer Camp
2. Camp Joy 3. Camp Kern
Best Carrot Sandwich
The Wheel is an Italian takeaway restaurant housed on a well-hidden residential block in Oakley. A spinning wheel hangs above the door; inside, concert posters adorn pale blue walls, joined by personal iconography curated by owner Chrissy Antenucci. The food provides evidence that cooking is an act of love and creativity for Antenucci, who named…
Best Cheese Pull
We all know that food commercials set unrealistic expectations. Your Papa John’s pizza will never look like the one on TV because the one on TV was concocted by a food stylist and Photoshop magic. Take, for instance, the “cheese pull,” when someone grabs a slice in an ad and the impossibly gooey cheese stretches…
Ice Cream
2. Aglamesis Bros. 3. United Dairy Farmers
Best Use of Chickpeas
The phrase “deli” strikes boredom into the heart of every vegetarian. Sliced salami? Don’t care. Smoked turkey? Pass. If you’re sick of egg salad or cheese-and-mustard sandwich creations, head to Grand Central Delicatessen in Pleasant Ridge. The Art Deco-inspired deli takes its name from the historic New York City train terminal and comes complete with…
Neighborhood Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)
2. Pompilios 3. Goodfellas Pizzeria
Best New Winery with a Groove
Revel OTR Urban Winery opened last spring, offering small-batch and other locally made wine (as well as craft beer and other drinks) in a laid-back but groovy setting. This ain’t your mama’s stuffy wine-snob bar — Revel’s funky, intimate atmosphere (including artwork by students from the nearby Art Academy and other locals) is regularly matched…
Open Mic Night
2. MOTR Pub 3. Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
Tea Selection
2. Coffee Emporium 3. Teavana
Best Beer and Pizza Pairing
Beer and pizza combos range from the standard delivery box and six-pack to coal-fired slices and craft pints. If you’re interested in the latter, Taft’s Brewpourium is the go-to spot. An extension of Over-the-Rhine’s Taft’s Ale House, the Brewpourium is fitted with all of Taft’s top beers, New Haven-style “apizza” and enough televisions to satisfy…
Financial Planning Service
2. Edward Jones 3. Charles Schwab
Best Reflection Perfection
Designer Shailah Maynard, the mind behind the locally based Working Girls Co. art and design brand, specializes in creating tongue-in-cheek modern products with a feminist lean, from “Femme” muscle tanks and Murder She Wrote shirts to crew socks with film titles like 9 to 5 screen-printed on them and pool floats that look like boobs.…
Best Humanitarian Efforts That Restore Our Faith In… Uh… Humanity
In January 2017, local faith leaders began signing on to Cincinnati’s new sanctuary movement — an interfaith effort that seeks to provide legal protection, shelter and other aid for undocumented immigrants and vulnerable groups. The movement comes after the election of President Donald Trump, who promised waves of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, Muslim registries…
Dental Practice/Clinic
2. Cincinnati Dental Services 3. Advance Dentistry
Philanthropist
2. Otto M. Budig Jr. 3. The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile/U.S. Bank Foundation
Best Fine-Dining Downtown Korean Restaurant
In Cincinnati, Korean joints and many other ethnic restaurants seem to be relegated to strip malls in the suburbs. But when Haru, Korean for “spring,” opened last summer in the old Istanbul Café space, downtown finally had a fine-dining Korean option. (Sadly, nearby Sung Korean Bistro closed in May.) White tablecloths might not be synonymous…
Local Taproom
2. Rhinegeist 3. Braxton Brewing Company
Best Literary Reading and Q&A Session
Wallace Shawn is beloved by children for his role in The Princess Bride, a perennial favorite, and by Boomers for the 1981 film My Dinner with Andre, an amusing but serious discourse on the meaning of life. Appearing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in September to read from Night Thoughts, an essay on how humankind is destroying…
Sporting Goods
2. Bass Pro Shop 3. REI
Radio Talk Show Host
2. Jeff and Jenn (Q102) 3. Bill Cunningham (WLW)
Best Mushroom Soup
The National Exemplar in the Mariemont Inn is a restaurant for those who like a reliable meal. Open since 1983, it’s not necessarily known for its edgy or au courant cuisine — it’s a solid stalwart with a handful of favorite menu items that keep patrons coming back again and again (and again) like prime…
Children’s Clothing Store
2. The Spotted Goose 3. Justice
Hospital
2. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital 3. Good Samaritan Hospital
Best Super Seasonal Supper
A pillar of Covington’s MainStrasse dining strip, Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar merits a visit whenever the seasons change. Chef Stephen Williams leads a kitchen that epitomizes farm-to-table cooking, and Bouquet’s website lists more than two-dozen local purveyors of produce, fish, dairy products and meats. Williams takes the finest local ingredients — Greensleeves Farm produce…
Bar/Club Staff
2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill 3. Below Zero Lounge
Best Political Drama, Corporate Divison
Is activist investor Nelson Peltz a visionary with new ideas to unlock untold profits from one of Cincinnati’s largest companies? Or, as critics might suggest, is he a pirate roaming the corporate seas looking for a bounty on a prominent merchant ship? That’s the crux of the controversy surrounding Peltz’s drive to jump onto the…
Local Artist
2. Brad Thiele 3. Chad Turner
Best Gift to the Cincinnati Art Museum
Because the late Marcel Duchamp married a woman from Cincinnati in 1954, the Cincinnati Art Museum was gifted with a copy of one of the great conceptual artist’s “Boîte-en-Valise (Box in a Valise),” consisting of miniature reproductions of his pre-World War II work. In 1964, Duchamp gave it to his wife’s sister and husband in…
Best Fond Farewell
Hardcore music lovers can get territorial about their passion, and they’ll celebrate and stand up for the outlets they love through thick or thin — even more fervently than sports fans fight for their favorite team. There was widespread outrage when longtime radio station WNKU was sold to a religious broadcaster in a budget-slashing move by…
Best Fleet of Fleet-Footed Females
The 2017 edition of Cincinnati Ballet’s Kaplan New Works program featured all female choreographers, which is still a very rare feat. (For reference: According to The New York Times, of the 58 ballets performed by New York City Ballet in 2015, not a single one was by a woman.) The company’s artistic director, Victoria Morgan, and resident…
Best High-Quality Local Publication Now Owned by a Company that also Publishes a Magazine About Trump’s House
We held our breath when we found out that purveyor of high-quality long-form journalism Cincinnati Magazine was up for sale last year, and breathed a brief sigh of relief when we heard it got new owners in the form of Hour Media. Hour publishes more than 70 titles, including, randomly, Jewel of Palm Beach, which…
Coffeehouse (Local)
2. College Hill Coffee Company 3. Carabello Coffee 4. Deeper Roots Coffee 5. Collective Espresso 6. Lookout Joe 7. Reality Tuesday Café 8. Sidewinder Coffee 9. 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab 10. Luckman Coffee Company
Best Cincy High School Iron Man
Mason High School senior running back Matt Sora was highly regarded throughout his Comets career for a number of on-field feats, but no statistic or single-game effort outshines Sora’s 35-game start streak. The 6-foot, 200-pound Sora first took over as Mason’s starting running back as a sophomore in 2015 and proceeded to make 35 consecutive…
Best Surprise Political Victory, However Fleeting
Former Councilwoman Yvette Simpson, the underdog in the 2017 mayoral election, is a tenacious fighter and a tireless public servant. So while we have to admit we weren’t expecting her to pull out a decisive mayoral primary win over incumbent Mayor John Cranley and challenger Rob Richardson, we also weren’t surprised when she did. It…
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Central)
2. Adriatico’s 3. Fireside Pizza
Wine Selection (Restaurant)
2. 20 Brix 3. Boca
Place to Buy an Engagement Ring
2. Schwartz Jewelers 3. Richter & Phillips
Papergood Store
2. Handzy Shop + Studio 3. Poeme
Massage Therapy Practice/Clinic
2. Massage Envy 3. Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa
Volleyball Court
2. Setters Beach Volleyball & Outdoor Lounge 3. Cabana on the River
Best West Side Brewery
OK, so West Side Brewing may be the only brewery on the West Side — for now. But since opening in spring 2017, this spot has brought a lot of life to its little corner of Westwood. Not only is West Side Brewing a great neighborhood watering hole, it’s also a community hub that’s seen a chili cook-off,…
Musical Instrument Store
2. Guitar Center 3. Mike’s Music
Local Elected Official
2. Aftab Pureval 3. P.G. Sittenfeld
Best Billy Joel-Themed Cocktail Menu
Nothing says “night at the bar” like the sweet sounds of the Piano Man, Billy Joel. The appeal of his sing-along Soft Rock spans human archetypes and generations — you’re just as likely to find a suburban mom belting to the bar closer as you are an ironic hipster. And as the tunes of Billy…
Hotel Bar
2. Metropole (21c Museum Hotel) 3. Orchids at Palm Court (Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza)
Best Bright Idea That Wasn’t BLINK
Those missing the glow of BLINK can look forward to one building shining more brightly this fall. Just a couple weeks after October’s huge light festival called attention to the architectural features of Over-the-Rhine, the Woodward Theater announced that it won a $150,000 grant from the Partners in Preservation: Main Street campaign to recreate its…
Music Festival/Event
2. Northside Rock ‘n Roll Carnival 3. MidPoint Music Festival
Best Seaweed Gel Manicure
Spruce Natural Nail Salon provides “five-free” manicures and pedicures, using polishes free from common toxins like formaldehyde, DDT and toluene. This means the salon doesn’t smell like a paint factory and no one has to wear a face mask while applying your polish. The eco options don’t sacrifice on style or creativity, either. Brands, including…
Best Cocktail for Split Personalities
It’s no secret that the Bar at Palm Court is one of the best places in the city to grab a cocktail, blending artful alcohol creations with awe-inspiring Art Deco décor. Sidle up to the bar — if you’re lucky enough to find a stool — and peruse the drink menu, which offers classic cocktails…
Beer Selection (Draft)
2. Queen City Exchange 3. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade
Overall Pizza (Non-Chain)
2. Adriatico’s 3. Catch-A-Fire Pizza 4. Fireside Pizza 5. Strong’s Brick Oven Pizzeria 6. Camporosso 7. Mac’s Pizza Pub 8. Trotta’s Pizza & Drive Thru 9. Two Cities Pizza Co. 10. Newport Pizza Company
Best Fondue for Two
Cheese: the quickest way to anyone’s heart; it’s lactic ambrosia. Share a melted pot of dairy’s greatest gift with a loved one at Share: Cheesebar during Wednesday’s fondue night, dipping into Gruyere, Swiss and emmental cheese, dosed with sauvignon blanc, garlic, lemon and fresh thyme. Pick from a vegetarian or meaty option and receive a…
Club/Party DJ
2. DJ Etrayn 3. DJ Chinn Chilla
Vintage Clothing Store
2. Talk of the Town 3. Chicken Lays An Egg
Barber Shop
2. Spanky & Co. Barber Shop 3. Kings Court Master Barber & Shoe Shine Service
Best Newsletter for Bibliophiles Who Want to Make a Change in the World
If ever a newsletter could galvanize society for the better, it would be Hillary Copsey’s Make America Read newsletter. In each bi-monthly installment, Copsey — a Norwood resident and freelance writer — provides choice picks and thoughtful ruminations on not only books but also the act of reading, itself. By reading books, Copsey believes that…
Wedding Photography Service
2. Best Day Ever 3. Eleven:11
Best Bearcats Football Success Story
A former rodeo athlete turned linebacker, the University of Cincinnati’s Jaylyin Minor took the road less traveled before becoming one of the most productive linebackers in the school’s history. With no offers coming out of high school as a two-sport athlete (football and rodeo), the Texas native opted to continue his football career in his…
Best Dollar Beer Night
Typically an entertainment option in what we’ll describe as “lesser” cities, minor league sports offer the type of value anyone can appreciate. Skating at the Queen City’s U.S. Bank Arena, the Cincinnati Cyclones satisfy locals’ craving for cheap beer, on-ice brawls and infectious crowds. A chant of “Sucks!” is traditional after the introduction of each…
Romantic Restaurant
2. Primavista 3. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
Best Inclusive and Supportive Community Group for Women, By Women
We could all use more good news about female leadership in our lives, especially these days. Enter Women of Cincy, a community group that started in January 2017 to showcase women doing good work and celebrating their achievements via the group’s website and social media accounts. One year later, that much-needed celebration continues. The group…
Local Activist
2. Jim Tarbell 3. Josh Spring (Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition)
Best Coffee Table Addition for Mural Maniacs
You can’t walk a hundred feet in downtown Cincinnati without seeing a mural plastered on a nearby building. And, chances are, you have ArtWorks to thank for that. Every summer the award-winning nonprofit works with local youth to create public murals across the Greater Cincinnati area, ranging from historic-photo-based renderings of men on a barge…
Best Melding of Textile and Technology
Cincinnati Art Museum Chief Curator Cynthia Amneus brought Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion to town last fall. The touring exhibit, which originated in van Herpen’s homeland of the Netherlands in 2012, featured 44 visionary outfits and nine pairs of fierce-looking shoes. As the first designer to send a 3-D-printed garment down a runway, her clothing…
Pet Rescue/Shelter
2. SPCA 3. Animal Friends Humane Society
Best Coveted Kiss
To celebrate Fiona’s first birthday, the Cincinnati Zoo gave away a one-of-a-kind painting: Fiona’s kiss. Caretakers gave the hippo some purple paint and helped her plant one on a canvas to create a very unique work of art. The winner grabbed her prize after participating in the zoo’s A.D.O.P.T. program, where you can make a…
Cell Phone Service Provider
2. AT&T 3. Sprint
Best Bar Halloween Costume
A couple years ago, Northsiders lost their damn minds when rumors spread about an Applebee’s infiltrating their hip local digs. Of course, it was just a prank (actual fake news, one might argue), but no one quite got past it. So when folks in the neighborhood saw a bus bench ad on Hamilton Avenue promoting…
Boutique (East Side)
2. indigenous, a handcrafted gallery 3. Soho
Best Small Business Supporting Small Business
Situated next to Eli’s BBQ in Findlay Market stands Deerhaus Décor, a transparent, small-batch and environmentally conscious boutique where you can find everything from refurbished homegoods and unique cookbooks to cactus greeting cards, organic deodorant and glass jewelry. And the softest huskies you’ll encounter in life, Nala and Kona. Cincinnati natives and Deerhaus co-founders Sonja…
Developer
2. Model Group 3. Urban Sites
Best Neon Steak Dive
There’s nothing more beautiful than the neon lights of Cincy Steak & Lemonade illuminating the sidewalk on Short Vine. It’s a Styrofoam-container-in-a-to-go-bag sort of deal, but you can get tasty classics like hamburgers, chicken wings, Philly cheesesteaks or gyros with a side of fries for an unbelievably cheap price. The best part? Their frozen lemonade…
Bengal (Current)
2. Andy Dalton 3. AJ McCarron
Best Museum Recreated in Living Color
Kathy Y. Wilson, known to CityBeat readers as “Your Negro Tour Guide,” ended her column in early 2016 because of illness. But she returned to the public eye late last year at the Weston Art Gallery to lead visitors through Sanctuary: Kathy Y. Wilson Living in a Colored Museum. Complete with sofas, mantels and curtained…
Best Choral Performance
The Vocal Arts Ensemble delivered a stunning performance of Considering Matthew Shepard, composed by VAE artistic director Craig Hella Johnson. In 1998, Shepard was a college student at the University of Wyoming when he was brutally beaten and tied to a fence outside of Laramie. He died six days later, and became an icon for…
Local Tour
2. American Legacy Tours (Queen City Underground) 3. ArtWorks Mural Tours
Chili (Chain)
2. Gold Star Chili 3. Dixie Chili
Law Firm
2. Frost, Brown, Todd 3. O’Connor Acciani & Levy
Best Bar to Find Landjunge Fruhstuck
“Like at most brunches, everyone’s pretty much hungover,” says owner Nathan Chambers of the typical Wunderbar! brunch crowd. A German-inspired bar and eatery, it provides a safe haven to those interested in hangover remedies who can’t quite remember their karaoke performance from the night before. With $3 mimosas and $4 bloody marys alongside a rotating…
Neighborhood Bakery (East Side)
2. Busken Bakery 3. Graeter’s
Pet Supply Store
2. Pet Wants 3. Pet Supplies Plus
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Northern ‘Burbs)
2. Mellow Mushroom 3. Pies and Pints
Best Store with a Really Long Name
TMBTITWI, aka The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Is, is a concept boutique in OTR, helmed by a world-traveler with an eye for form and a passion for fashion. Carrington Warner Broerman, a former art buyer in New York City, has created an intimate and exciting shop with a collection of storied clothing, jewelry…
Best Bar Blue Plate Special
Longfellow is Over-the-Rhine’s coolest neighborhood “dive” — a comfy Cheers with a U-shaped center bar, easygoing bartenders and great music (you’ll hear everything from classic Punk to ’80s Pop and Hip Hop). The cocktails are killer and so is the food menu. Both showcase the life of the owner, Mike Stankovich, who has a Southern…
Dance Classes
2. DANCEFIX 3. Arthur Murray
Manicure/Pedicure
2. Ambiance Nail Salon & Spa 3. Katy’s Nails
Donuts
2. Busken Bakery 3. Dunkin’ Donuts
Karaoke
2. Tostados Grill 3. Below Zero Lounge
Best Local Shot at Another ‘Hamilton’ Phenonmenon
Historian Ron Chernow, author of an Alexander Hamilton biography that inspired actor/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda to write a little Broadway musical you might have heard of, chose a Clermont County boy for his latest book. Grant argues that good ol’ Ulysses S. of Point Pleasant, Ohio, wasn’t the so-called “butcher general” (because critics thought his military…
Best BFF Expansion
Designer Rosie Kovacs and woodworker Hayes Shanesy started the Brush Factory in 2009 as a way to create well-crafted and high-quality goods. Since then, the duo has amplified their mission to include building modern furniture and other items with care and precision using “traditional joinery and solid wood construction.” They have their own line of…
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Downtown/OTR)
2. A Tavola 3. Pies and Pints
Designs by Dana
2. Beelistic Tattoo & Piercing 3. White Whale Tattoo
Bar/Club for Live Music (National Acts)
2. Madison Theater 3. Woodward Theater
Best Ornament that Gives Back
Fun fact: Rookwood Pottery was the first female-owned manufacturing company in the United States (#girlboss). And since the 1880s, it has been producing heritage ceramics, designed and crafted by world-class artisans. The heirloom-minded legacy continues with their Fiona ornament. Designed by Rookwood Art Director Mary Guanciale, this disc features the happily swimming fat, little hippo…
Food Festival or Event
2. Oktoberfest 3. Cincinnati Food Truck Association Food Festival
Pick-Up Basketball Court
2. Blue Ash Recreation Center 3. Corryville Recreation Center
Italian
2. Pompilios 3. Maggiano’s Little Italy
Breakfast
2. Sleepy Bee Café 3. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
Best Most Eclectic Record Collection
Though crammed into a snug space, Torn Light Records’ offering of oddities spans an impressively diverse range of tastes and formats. You’re best heading into the store without a specific purchase in mind — perusing shelves stocked with obscure cassette tapes and shoeboxes of ’90s Emo records is enough to pique any music nerd’s curiosity.…
Auto Repair Service
2. AAA | Bob Sumerel Tire & Service 3. Donovan’s Auto & Tire Center
Costume Shop
2. Costume Gallery 3. Talk of the Town
Best Museum with a Liquor License
The historic Bay Horse Café, with roots dating back to 1817, reopened last summer after co-owners and partners Fred Berger and Lori Meeker spent two and half years restoring the building (and its vintage neon sign featuring a trotting horse). The $4, 25-ounce Hudepohl schooners, $6 cocktails and draft beer mark it as an affordable,…
Best Cincinnati Native Going to the NFL
A graduate of Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller High School, Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard officially declared for the 2018 NFL Draft following his junior campaign with the Buckeyes, essentially punching his ticket to the big leagues. Projected as a first-round pick in some of the early circulating mock drafts, Hubbard shined bright along an Ohio…
Carpet Cleaning
2. Stanley Steemer 3. Braxton’s Cleaners
Real Estate/Realtor Office
2. Coldwell Banker/West Shell 3. Comey & Shepherd
Dry Cleaner
2. Springdale Cleaners 3. Tide Dry Cleaners
Best Radical and Community-Focused Collective Space
McMicken FreeSpace is a volunteer-led, not-for-profit non-hierarchical social center located in the Mohawk-Brighton neighborhood of Cincinnati. The inclusive, comfy spot has been operating since 2015, offering regular programming that caters to those in need of a commercial-free sanctuary. Offerings include meetings for Art of Recovery/Alcoholics Anonymous, Cincinnati Allied Transgender Support and Womxn’s Wednesdays. Stephanie Phillips,…
Best Music Festival Facelift
Skepticism seems to follow the MidPoint Music Festival every year, particularly since local promoters MEMI took it off of CityBeat’s hands a couple of years ago. When it was announced that the 2017 event was to be centralized around MEMI’s Taft Theatre, eyebrows raised, but the fully indoor two-day fest smartly used the theater’s main space and…
Best Bakery for Night Owls
Donuts aren’t just for breakfast anymore. Open evenings from 5 or 6 p.m. until the donuts sell out, Latonia’s Moonrise Doughnuts bakes its confections as the sun sets, serving classic flavors and seasonal surprises while they’re still hot. The blueberry donut is a local favorite, but don’t miss out on fun creations like the Homer…
Local Vocal Arts Group
2. Cincinnati Children’s Choir 3. May Festival Chorus
Best Tofu Banh Mi
The refreshingly minimal Saigon Subs & Rolls is an underrated and often overlooked hidden-gem destination that serves some of the best tofu in town. As avid pho consumers, we can testify Saigon has the perfect ratio of noodles to cilantro, bean sprouts, onions, basil, lime and jalapeños. Their banh mi sandwiches are a true work…
Tapas
2. Mita’s 3. Ché
Radio Station
2. 101.9 (Q102) 3. 700 (WLW)
Best Sassy Grilled Cheese
“Not Your Mama’s” grilled cheese at Em’s Sourdough in Findlay Market combines garlic cheddar and sharp cheddar cheeses on Em’s signature sourdough bread, grilled on a panini press. You can add tomato and avocado or a side of housemade soup for a few dollars more. Or sub in honey-sweetened whole wheat bread as your base.…
Best Reason to Get Right with the Lord Before Entering Kentucky
We all know by now that the Brent Spence Bridge needs a replacement. The span linking I-71 and I-75 between the Buckeye and Bluegrass states wasn’t designed to carry nearly as many cars as it does, and it’s 55 years old. Engineers say it’s structurally sound and isn’t about to fall into the river or…
TV Newscast
2. WCPO (Channel 9) 3. WLWT (Channel 5)
Best Joey Votto Moment
Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, a fan favorite among Reds faithful, further entrenched his name in Queen City history this past season, surpassing former Red Jay Bruce as the all-time home-run leader at Great American Ball Park. An 11-year staple of Reds baseball, Votto crushed his 136th home run into the stands at GABP against…
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Northern Kentucky)
2. Dewey’s Pizza 3. Strong’s Brick Oven Pizzeria
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Central)
2. Tickle Pickle 3. Gordo’s Pub & Grill
German
2. Mecklenburg Gardens 3. Wunderbar!
Washington Park Event
2. Taste of OTR 3. Asian Food Fest
Kid-Friendly Attraction
2. Smale Riverfront Park 3. Kings Island
Best Under-the-Radar Local T-Shirts
Hard-to-find streetwear is often about rarity as a status symbol — showing you’re hip enough (or willing to pay enough money) for that limited-edition product. But Cincinnati artist Doug Korfhagen’s limited-run, hyper-local shirts are all about love. Korfhagen has immortalized neighborhood landmarks like Clifton Heights’ Thai Express, Northside’s now-closed Autobahn Motorwerks BMW motorcycle shop and…
Best Acoustic Upgrade
Music Hall reopened its doors after a 16-month renovation for a community-wide free open house last October, sponsored by ArtsWave’s resident arts organizations, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, May Festival and Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The arts organizations put on the ol’ razzle-dazzle for the thousands of visitors who poured in to…
Hair Removal Service
2. Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa 3. Woodhouse Day Spa
Best Protest Proving the Power of Cincinnati Women
On Jan. 21, 2017, thousands of Cincinnatians joined marches across the country to protest the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Those rallies brought out more than 3 million people, angry at policy proposals and comments Trump had made, including some caught on tape a decade ago where he casually discussed sexually assaulting women. It’s no…
Best Piggy Platter
With Cincinnati’s distinctive German heritage, it’s surprising that there aren’t more German-influenced restaurants here. There’s Clifton’s perennial favorite Mecklenburg Gardens and Covington’s casual crowd-pleaser Wunderbar!, but there’s been nothing like Bauer Farm Kitchen, a truly unique exploration of German cuisine with French accents — a farm-to-table, Alsatian-influenced eatery that no one has done here before.…
Best Bespoke Menswear (For Women, Too)
Romualdo bespoke tailoring has been offering handcrafted menswear since 1968. With the mission of delivering one-of-a-kind, quality garments, Romualdo Pelle, an Italian immigrant now in his 80s, became a go-to designer and tailor for the local elite. The store, which has a bit of a men’s club vibe, has a library of more than 10,000…
Progressive
2. Russ Hurley 3. P.G. Sittenfeld
Play (Student/Community)
2. Into the Woods (Xavier University Theatre) 3. The Civil War (Showbiz Players, Inc.)
Local Farm
2. Burger Farm & Garden Center 3. Gorman Heritage Farm
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (East Side)
2. Deeper Roots Coffee 3. Awakenings Coffee & Wine
Overall Burgers (Chain)
2. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews 3. Smashburger
Best Powder Room for a #BathroomSelfie
We here at 811 Race Street love our neighbors. We may not ask to borrow a cup of sugar, but we do work with businesses around us all the time, like The Phoenix. Our buds across the street know how to party. Home to the Best of Cincinnati celebration for the second year in a…
Happy Hour (Food)
2. Bakersfield 3. Kaze
Cooking Classes
2. Findlay Kitchen 3. Sur La Table
Appetizers
2. A Tavola 3. Sotto
Best of Cincinnati 2018
Have you ever sat around wishing there were a publication that would list all of the best things in Cincinnati, as determined by a group of your peers as well as a handful of select staffers at your local alt-weekly paper? Well, your wish has been granted. CityBeat has been in the business of curating…
